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Department of Dentistry
Section 407
Modern technology and industrialization is the most common agent that leads to the
continuation of human evolution. Therefore, it is not surprising that modern-day men execute
different ways of maintaining their personal body health when compared to our ancestors.
According to Patients Path to Dental Care Purchase Study, 71% of patients went to a
dental office, 34% went online and 29% asked family and friends for advice (as cited in Solana,
2015). Clearly, this proves that there are other alternatives to get dental care instead of meeting
the dentists directly, in this modern circumstance. However, the things that are going to be
highlighted here is the degree of awareness about dental care among society. Even, a Muslim has
been taught about personal hygiene or specifically about the oral hygiene by his religion, as
Islam is a religion that strongly emphasizes the concept of cleanliness among its believers. Allah
SWT has clearly stated that Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves
Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping the mouth cavity clean, basically by regularly
brushing and flossing the teeth, coupled with periodic examinations by a dentist (Kittredge,
2016). Therefore, it can be accepted if there is a number of people who say that maintaining oral
health is not definitely salient because they think that the practice will only cover the condition
of the mouth, instead of the entire part of the body. However, in one recent study, people with
serious gum disease were 40% more likely to have a chronic condition on top of it (Barker,
2016, para. 2). To sum up, the study demonstrated that dental health has relation with the entire
body health. Thus, good oral hygiene should be practiced to attain healthy life as it can boost
First and foremost, people with good oral hygiene can prevent dental problems. The
mouth is one of the filthiest areas of the body because it contains many types of bacteria, but not
all of them are bad. Some of them are beneficial to our health which aid in the digestion of foods.
However, without proper oral hygiene, these bacteria can grow out of control and it can reach
levels that might lead to oral infection (Lee, 2013). This oral infection can cause dental problems
such as gum disease, tooth decay, and oral cancer. In fact, tooth decay is one of the most
Good oral hygiene like daily brushing, flossing, and dental checkup is crucial to prevent
accumulation of plaque and tartar build-up, because dental plaque is the main factor that causes
dental problems. Plaque is a colorless bacterial film, which can be found surrounding teeth either
on tooth surface or between it and below the teeth (Szalay, 2014). Every day, everyone develops
plaque which is not necessarily easy to spot, especially after eating and drinking. We cannot get
rid of plaque completely, but we can control it with good oral hygiene such as brushing
thoroughly at least twice a day and flossing daily to remove plaque from above and in between
the teeth and below the gum line. Delta Dental (2012) mentioned that lack of brushing and
flossing cause the plaque to remain on the teeth, especially at the gum line and it can harden into
tartar. In addition, according to the World Sugar Research Organization, eating a balanced diet
can prevent dental plaque development by limiting sugar and carbohydrate (cited in Szalay,
2014).
It is important to maintain good oral hygiene in our daily life in order to avoid continuous
plaque development which will eventually cause inflammation to the gums around the teeth and
cause gum disease. Kim (2015) explained that gum disease or known as periodontal disease is an
GOOD ORAL HYGIENE LEADS TO HEALTHY LIFE 4
infection or swelling of the gum because of bacterial growth. The first stage of gum disease is
gingivitis, which is if it left untreated can lead to a more serious, detrimental form of gum
disease called periodontitis. Also, American Dental Association has stated that many adults have
missing teeth because of gingivitis and periodontitis (cited in Kim, 2015). Furthermore, gum
disease will affect gum tissue and bone that supports the teeth so that it may become loose and
unstable. However, gum disease can be treated by exercising good oral hygiene regularly and
professional treatment to remove plaque build-up. Thus, it can be concluded that good oral
hygiene practices are essential part of maintaining a healthy mouth and warding off dental
problems.
Apart from preventing dental problems, good oral hygiene also can boost overall health.
The mouth is a window to the rest of the body which means that the health of the mouth mirrors
the health of the whole body. This is because the body and mouth are not separate and hence the
mouth can affect the body and vice versa. Poor oral health can result in serious infections of the
mouth, the teeth, and the entire body which may lead to complications with the cardiovascular
system, diabetes, and respiratory system. Thus, practicing good oral hygiene consistently helps to
Firstly, regular good dental hygiene can help lower the risk of developing cardiovascular
diseases. This is because people with gum disease are more likely to be affected by
cardiovascular disease than people with healthy mouths. Infections in the mouth due to gum
disease can enter the bloodstream and travel to other parts of the body which later will cause
narrowing of the arteries caused by formation of fatty plaques (American Heart Association,
GOOD ORAL HYGIENE LEADS TO HEALTHY LIFE 5
2015). These plaque deposits can lead to serious problems, such as blood clots, which can block
blood flow and cause high blood pressure. Inflammation in the arteries may possibly increase the
risk of heart attack or stroke (Henderson, 2014; Brauer, 2014; Friedman, 2015). Furthermore,
Kaplan (2016) stated that, Up to 91% of heart disease patients have periodontitis (gum disease),
compared to 66% of people with no heart disease. This indicates that poor oral hygiene has
been linked with the development of inflammation in the blood vessels due to inflammation in
the mouths.
On the other hand, good oral hygiene is also important for people who have diabetes
because they are more likely to develop gum disease as their bodys resistance toward infections
is low, making the conversion of sugar into energy difficult due to lack of insulin. Moreover,
Woodham (2014) claimed that, Poorly controlled diabetes will worsen periodontal disease, and
poorly controlled periodontal disease will worsen peoples diabetes. People with diabetes
should maintain healthy level of blood sugar along with daily good oral hygiene and treatment
from a dentist to prevent gum disease because gum infection can raise high blood glucose.
Lastly, it is crucial to practice good oral hygiene in order to prevent respiratory diseases.
Respiratory diseases also caused by the presence of bacteria in the mouth that involves in
existing gum disease which then travels through the airways and into the lungs. Therefore, lack
of proper oral hygiene may lead to potentially life-threatening respiratory illnesses such as
bronchitis, pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (American Academy
of Periodontology, 2011). In brief, a regular habit of good oral hygiene is vital because the health
of the mouth can affect the overall health of the body and it can help a person to live well longer.
GOOD ORAL HYGIENE LEADS TO HEALTHY LIFE 6
Thirdly, good oral hygiene should be practiced since it can enhance social interaction
among the society. World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged that social well-being
refers to the tendency of an individual to get along with others by participating in social activities
and accomplishing duties as a family member, friend, worker, or citizen (cited in National
Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 2014). Not practicing good oral habits such as
brushing and flossing teeth will result in having bad breath, painful ulcers, gum swelling or
bleeding as well as tooth loss. According to Health Canada (2008), not only smoking is a major
factor of dental disease such as oral cancer, but may also cause dental defects which will affect
ones confidence to confront other people to socialize. Thus, it is believed that bad oral hygiene
practices as mentioned above will direct to social isolation because this trouble mainly started
Dental problems can bother social life by distracting one with sleeping and eating
disorder, reducing ones work performance and worsening ones personal relationships (Cohen,
Fiske & Newton, 2000; National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 2014). Sleeping
problem related to oral conditions is closely associated with chronic pain felt by a person who
later will end up with depression. In consequence, the resulting depression is the one that affects
ones personal life when he or she experiences sleep disturbance due to major dental pain. On the
other hand, not only sleeping, but eating style also will be disturbed if a person escapes from
practicing good oral hygiene. Referring to a research conducted in National Institute of Dental
and Craniofacial Research (2014), eating or swallowing problems happen due to tooth loss or
denaturation of tooth as well as inadequate saliva supply. It is denoted that the more the amount
of tooth loss, the more discomfort a person to chew, swallow, and even speak. However, there
GOOD ORAL HYGIENE LEADS TO HEALTHY LIFE 7
are some alternatives to overcome these problems, such as wearing dentures properly and
promote normal saliva secretion. Therefore, the study suggested that dental care plays an
important role for the maintenance and improvement of the quality of life.
In addition, self-esteem and work and educational performance will be affected when
there is no time spent on brushing and flossing teeth. Jackson, Vann, Kotch, Pahel, and Lee
(2011) claimed that children with poorer oral health status have a higher tendency to experience
dental pain, miss school, and perform poorly in school. Therefore, they suggest that children
must be exposed to good oral practices, since improving their oral health status may be a
stepping stone to enhance their educational experience. Furthermore, it is undeniable that oral
pain can cause poor work performance because the person affected will avoid interacting with
his or her colleagues (Cohen et al., 2000). As an example, the bad oral appearance can create a
negative impression during the interview, thus degrading both self-esteem and self-confidence.
Apart from lowering self-esteem, improper oral care will also affect or worsen ones
personal relationship due to having bad breath. Tonsil stones are lumps of calcified materials,
hard yellow formations, located on both left and right side of the throat which are the major
cause of bad breath (Bradford, 2015). For instance, personal relationship becomes worse when a
husband refuse to have a long conversation with his wife because of the wife has bad breath.
Hence, good oral hygiene is highly suggested to be practiced as it can enhance social interaction
healthy habit and it gives a lot of advantages to human beings. It is clear that practicing good oral
hygiene leads to healthy life because it prevents dental problems, boosts overall health and
Therefore, it is highly suggested that parents should teach their children to clean their
own teeth at an early age in order to control the development of bacteria in their mouth, thus
prevent dental problems. At the same time, overall health can be improved since the body and
mouth are not separate and hence dependent on each other. In consequence, social interaction
enhanced when physical appearance improved and confidence level increased due to healthy
mouth and body. In nurturing good oral practices throughout childrens lifetime, it is suggested
that children should be taught in dental health education during teaching and learning sessions in
schools.
following the Sunnah of Prophet. This has been mentioned in a hadith related by Al-Bukhari on
the authority of Abu Hurairah which reported that the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. once said: If
it were not for fear that I would place hardship on my community, or on people, I would have
ordered them to brush teeth every time they perform ablution (Zainab, 2008). Therefore, as a
Muslim, one should follow the Prophets action in order to get pleasure from Allah and His
Prophet so that he or she will be successful in the world and the hereafter.
GOOD ORAL HYGIENE LEADS TO HEALTHY LIFE 9
References
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Bradford, A. (2015). Tonsil stones: Causes, removal & prevention. Retrieved from
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GOOD ORAL HYGIENE LEADS TO HEALTHY LIFE 11
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