The Importance of Good Oral Hygene

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Introduction Oral hygiene practice is a boon to oral health and in order to preserve good oral health, good oral hygiene practice is a must. Poor oral hygiene leads to number of oral as well as other diseases. Among oral diseases dental caries and periodontal diseases are most common diseases which are highly preventable merely by good oral hygiene practice. X Dental caries is a destructive progressive disease of the tooth in which dissolution of tooth tissue occurs by the acids produced by the bacteria using dietary carbohydrates living in the plaque.1 Plaque was proved to be a major causative factor for dental caries when a study showed that caries does not develop when plaque is not present.2 Gingivitis is simply an inflammation of gingiva which, if left untreated, progresses to periodontitis a more destructive inflammatory disease. Micro-organism accumulates in the plaque and eventually causes inflammation of gingiva. If plaque is removed from the tooth and/or gingival surface, gingival tissue briskly heals back to normal.3, 4 Oral hygiene practice reduces the dental plaque. Proper tooth brushing and flossing are the most easy to perform, easily available, commonly used and effective amongst all oral hygiene equipment. These oral hygiene behaviors have been shown to inversely associated with dental decay and periodontal disease.X Dental caries is one of the highly prevalent disease in the world. According to the National institute of dental and craniofacial research, during 1999-2004, 42% of children between 2-11 years of age had history of dental caries and 92% of adults between 20-64 years of age had history of dental caries.5,6 For children aged 6-19 years, dental caries prevalence during 2007-2010 was 15.6 per 100 ... ... middle of paper ... ...social norms, self-efficacy, and oral health knowledge. Oral health counselling might include education and motivation about the oral hygiene behavior to increase oral hygiene practice behavior beliefs, attitudes, and self-efficacy and it might counsel parents, children and society together to change the norms. Since perceived behavior control is most explaining factor, oral health counselling might concentrate on increasing the perceived behavior control by motivation and instillation of positive value of oral hygiene behavior. As stated previously, age and socioeconomic status influence the oral hygiene behavior and act as moderators for oral health promotional programs. For example, people with high SES might have better knowledge and attitude so they might follow the counselor quickly and their better knowledge itself make them good oral hygiene practitioner.

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