Christmas is many months away so this year may I once again suggest that NO DENTIST. NO CHRISTMAS! Do everything possible to set up a date with your dentist at least once in 2020. Avoiding hard foods or speaking differently especially in the elderly may be a sign of teeth problems. Losing teeth may also signify bad health and gum disease can raise your heart disease risk while giving off a bad odour. Bad odour and speaking differently may cause people especially the elderly to avoid meeting people leading to isolation that has a profound effect on one’s life. Losing teeth and dental caries also leads to difficulty eating and malnutrition bells may start sounding.

Uncontrolled Diabetes makes it more difficult to fight bacteria leading to more accumulation of plaque and hence more gum and teeth challenges. Gum disease also makes it more difficult to control blood sugar and the cycle continues.

If you have dentures it’s no excuse to skip your date with your dentist. You still need to make those vital visits periodically.

Dentists do not only repair damage we have caused to our teeth but also practice a lot of preventive medicine. They remove plaque that our regular tooth brushes would otherwise have had no chance against; they examine for cancers of the mouth and play a vital role in our fight against other diseases including the dreaded diabetes.

A quick dental class may put everything in the right perspective; “There are four (4) types of dental problems; Decay, Gum Disease, Oral Cancer and Acid Erosion. Current evidence based advice suggest that all patients (including those who are not at risk) should be accorded the benefit of advice with regard to their dental and general health.

a.      Prevention of Decay; brush twice daily, last at night and on one other occasion. Spit out your toothpaste after brushing and do not rinse. Frequency and amount of sugary foods should be reduced and when eaten should be restricted to meal times.

b.     Prevention of Gum Disease; brush twice a day. Do not smoke. Clean in between teeth using floss or interdental brushes.

c.      Prevention of Oral Cancer; do not smoke. Do not use smokeless tobacco (chewing tobacco). Increase fruit and vegetable intake – 5 portions per day.

d.     Prevention of Erosion; avoid frequent intake of acidic foods or drinks (orange, grapefruit, lemon, black currant juices).

Cocoa has an impressive effect on teeth especially when it has little or no additives. So this may be another great reason to make pure cocoa products a vital component of your lifestyle BUT it does not replace the need to see your dentist.

Maybe you should adopt my slogan too “No Dentist. No Christmas.”

To conclude my one-minute dental class take note of these and put into practice:

1.     Brush your teeth at least twice a day

a.      The second brushing should definitely be before bedtime and do not rinse out the toothpaste. This ensures contact with the teeth and prevention of bacteria invasion during the long sleep hours.

b.     Chewing sticks may play a role but ensure you use a soft bristled brush and FLUORIDE toothpaste. IT IS NOT HOW HARD YOU BRUSH YOUR TEETH THAT MATTERS BUT HOW FREQUENTLY AND HOW WELL IT’S DONE. Brushing too hard especially with hard bristles may lead to sensitive teeth and that is not pleasant.

c.      Hard bristles may benefit smokers but please don’t treat your mouth and teeth the way you scrub a basin. Treat gingerly.

2.     Floss your teeth at least once a day – for many of us it’s a huge challenge but I am sure that just as in other scenarios practice will improve our skill.

3.     Change your toothbrush every three to four months or as soon as the bristles cry for help.

4.     Do not smoke

5.     Visit a dentist twice a year. I am still struggling to schedule an appointment this year, so let’s get it done together.

6.     Acidic fruits such as oranges and lemon should be restricted to mealtimes. Meal times because a lot of saliva is produced and it neutralizes the acidic juice. Never brush your teeth after drinking orange (acidic) juice, as you will wash the saliva away during that process and the acid will be the lubricant left.

AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)

Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel

Health Essentials Ltd/Mobissel/St. Andrews Clinic

(www.healthessentialsgh.com)

*Dr. Essel is a Medical Doctor, holds an MBA and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy, fitness nutrition and corrective exercise.

Thought for the week – “Watch your intake of sugar; including the hidden sugar in foods and drinks. Overcoming your sugar addiction could be the beginning of the end of obesity.”

References:

    “Uravelling the Essentials of Health and Wealth” – Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
    Dr. Nana Kofi Acheampong, Dental Surgeon UK
    Dr. Princess Boahen. Dental Surgeon, White Tooth Dental Clinic. Ghana