Dental health has a bidirectional relationship with total body wellness; ultimately what happens in your mouth has a direct link to the rest of the body.

Bacteria associated with poor oral health can lead to chronic disease, such as diabetes and heart disease, as well as reduced overall quality of life. What’s also interesting is chronic disease being a key factor in determining how healthy the mouth is.

Modern dentistry has shifted towards a focus on holistic and preventative treatments that can increase and maintain oral wellness: treating the cause of the problem instead of just the problem itself. But, oral wellness doesn’t just start at the dentist, there are many ways oral wellness can be improved from the comfort of home.

Here are a few simple tips to incorporate into your daily home routine that can have big impacts on overall wellbeing:

1. Brushing regularly: Brushing teeth and gums twice daily with an electric toothbrush, mechanically removes the bacteria associated with dental disease

2. Flossing regularly: Flossing removes bacteria from in between your teeth. There are some really user-friendly floss picks on the market, I have attached my favourite ones here; they even come in a strawberry flavour and are biodegradable: https://www.nourishedlife.com.au/natural-toothpaste/5065546/grin-adults-biodegradable-dental-floss-picks.html?&gclsrc=aw.ds&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping&utm_term=shopping-nosale&utm_content=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhLKUBhDiARIsAMaTLnGJY4ZqoM2KPWMq7Qh_blUKtPb4yLKZzbBl1-TSTUnzwVnMqdVfS74aApy_EALw_wcB

And

https://piksters.com/product/piksters-interpik-30pk/

3. Using a fluoride toothpaste: Fluoride will help your teeth become more resistant to acid caused by oral bacteria and food/drink consumed on a daily basis. Some more recent toothpastes on the market have evolved to include probiotics in the formula; that being a great way to improve the percentage of good bacteria in your mouth. You can find toothpaste with probiotics by Gem here https://gem-products.co/collections/fluoride - they also come in some fun flavours to try other than classic mint.

4. Diet: A healthy balanced diet low in fermentable carbohydrates. Alkaline foods are beneficial; not just for maintaining oral health, but overall gut health and digestion as well. Checking the pH acidity/alkalinity of your daily drinking water can also be beneficial (make sure its on the alkaline side)

5. Tooth straightening with clear aligners: Believe it or not, but straighter teeth allow for better oral health. Having straight teeth makes them easier to keep clean; and keeping teeth clean reduces risk of dental and systemic chronic disease. Most clear aligner companies have a remote monitoring system allowing the dentist and patient to access treatment progression without having to physically attend an appointment. For example; Byte Au has recently launched its new MyByte App that makes it easier for patients and their care team to communicate, as well as monitor and track treatment during the course of their clear aligner journey. This way, patients are able to carry out most of their clear aligner journey from home.

6. Tooth whitening: The market is currently flooded with at-home tooth whitening brands. The safest way to have the procedure done at home is to make a quick trip to your dentist to ensure there is no other oral disease that could potentially be exacerbated by the procedure; and the dentist making you custom-fit whitening trays with take-home bleach syringes to use. The products prescribed by the dentist to whiten your teeth at home are not only safe but have better results in the long term without damaging your teeth. Other products recommended by your dentist may include professional use whitening pens, for that extra top-up in between treatments at home. Tooth whitening can be a simple and safe procedure if done correctly, and dramatically improves confidence and overall quality of life.

   • Whitening pens to try for on-the-go whitening top-ups

     • Phillips Zoom! 5.25% hydrogen peroxide teeth whitening pen (2.7mL)

     • Gem low-sensitivity hydrogen peroxide whitening pen in coconut mint or crisp mint flavours (4mL)

     • Byte BrightByte is a 3-in-1 foam cleanser, whitener and breath freshener. It comes as a foam application to use inside trays and doubles-up as a cleaner for your orthodontic retainer trays or clear aligner trays.

Dr. Saskia Salvestro is a cosmetic & aesthetic dental surgeon located in Wagga Wagga, NSW. You can find more information about these topics on her Instagram page @dr.saskiaruby or Facebook @drsaskia or contact her info@drsaskia.com.au for any enquires.

Dr. Salvestro does not endorse the brands or products mentioned in this article.

ABOUT:

Dr. Saskia Salvestro currently practices in her hometown of Wagga Wagga and is particularly skilled in the fields of clear aligner treatment, such as Invisalign and Byte, and cosmetic dentistry. Dr. Saskia is also an academic and clinical supervisor to dental students at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga.

 

Dr. Saskia is a member of the Australasian Academy of Dentofacial Aesthetics (AADFA), the International Academy of Aesthetics in Beverly Hills CA (IAA), the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) and the Australian Dental Association, keeping up with the latest evidence-based treatment options for patients. She is also a board member and contributor of Dental Health Australia (DHA) promoting dental health and the development of content for a dental education app called Cinch.