World Oral Health Day 2021 – Be Proud of Your Mouth

In March of every year, the FDI World Dental Federation celebrates World Oral Health Day to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. The theme, “Be Proud of your Mouth,” is an essential message that should be a part of our daily lives.

How to take care of your mouth

To keep our mouths clean and healthy we must brush our teeth, rinse with water, and floss regularly. It is also important to avoid alcohol, tobacco, and all types of tobacco-related habits, such as chewing betel leaves, which cause oral cancer – one of the most common cancers in Bangladesh. 

Tips for a healthy mouth

Starting from childhood, a person should maintain proper teeth brushing. For babies, their gums should be cleaned every night before going to bed with a soft clean wet cloth. Both children and adults should brush their teeth once after breakfast and once before going to bed. 

Proper brushing techniques include:

• Up and down motion
• 45-degree angle rotatory movement
• Using a medium-short bristled brush

In between brushing time:

• Rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash after each meal
• Use dental floss

One should also intake vitamins and proper protein-rich food to build up strong teeth structure and body immunity, and avoid eating too many sugary foods such as candy, soft drinks, and fast food, which can cause cavities and other problems.

Visits to the dentist

Children and adults should visit the dentist every six months to avoid dental problems and oral diseases, which are common in Bangladesh. Every dental visit can make you more protected against long-term problems.

During the pandemic

During the pandemic, it is recommended for older people and people with chronic diseases to make fewer in clinic visits to the dentist, and only go if it is necessary or if you are advised by a doctor. If anyone in your household is suffering from a cold, cough, or fever, please consult with your dentist remotely through video consultations first. 

If you visit a dentist in clinic, please keep the following in mind:

• Make sure that the dentist is wearing a proper mask, face shield, hand gloves, etc.
• Make sure the dental chamber is disinfected between patients
• Check if cleanliness and disinfection guidelines are being maintained 

Things to keep in mind for at-home dental care:

• Use separate basins for teeth brushing if possible
• Use covered toothbrushes or keep each toothbrush separately
• Try to do warm saline rinsing (one glass of warm water mix with a pinch of salt) after each meal

At Praava, you can take advantage of video consultations to provide you with virtual dental care. To learn more, call 10648.

This month, in the spirit of Oral Health Day, let’s do all we can to keep our mouths clean and healthy, and remember – be proud of your mouth!