Oral care is the cleaning and protection of the teeth, tongue, palate, cheeks, and other parts of the oral cavity. The oral cavity is the starting part of the digestive tract. It is divided into the anterior outer part of the oral vestibule and the posterior inner part of the proper oral cavity through the upper and lower dental arches. When the upper and lower teeth bite, the oral vestibule and the proper oral cavity can be connected through the gap behind the third molar. Daily attention to oral care can effectively improve oral comfort and cleanliness, maintain a stable oral environment, and reduce oral inflammation or gum disease caused by food residue accumulation and bacterial growth. Especially after eating, it is necessary to pay attention to oral care, usually by brushing teeth, using dental floss and other care methods. During winter, many patients experience oral mucosal diseases, making oral health care even more important. Pay attention to oral care in winter, please pay attention to the following knowledge.
1、 Winter oral health care
1. Pay attention to oral hygiene: It is important to pay attention to oral hygiene and develop good habits of brushing teeth in the morning and evening, and rinsing mouth immediately after meals. Salted water, physiological saline, and medication mouthwash can be used to reduce oral bacteria and prevent secondary infections caused by food residues. This is an important aspect of preventing oral ulcers.
2. Eat less spicy food: To prevent oral ulcers, reduce the stimulation and friction on the oral mucosa, and eat less spicy seasonings such as chili, vinegar, ginger, scallions, curry, etc; Eat less fried chicken legs, fried steak, or other foods that are too rough and hard.
3. Pay attention to the nutritional structure: Pay attention to the nutritional combination, eat more easily digestible foods rich in vitamin B family, avoid picky eating, and eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, which are beneficial for preventing oral ulcers. Try to eat less bamboo shoots such as winter bamboo shoots, hairy bamboo shoots, dried bamboo shoots, etc., eat less pickled products such as salted fish, salted meat, pickled vegetables, etc., and also eat less foods such as persimmons and crabs that can easily worsen oral ulcers.
4. Develop good living habits: It is necessary to develop good living habits, ensure sufficient sleep, and avoid overwork; Cultivate self-regulation ability, as emotional factors not only affect the nervous system, but can also lead to digestive system dysfunction and nutritional disorders, emotional distress, and mental stress.
5. Maintain a good attitude: Pay attention to oral health in winter. Please pay attention to maintaining a relaxed, optimistic and cheerful mood, and keep a calm attitude when encountering things. In addition, for patients who have already contracted oral mucosal diseases, they must choose a regular hospital for professional treatment.
2、 Winter oral care
1. Avoid using cold water to brush teeth: Use warm water to brush teeth in winter because there is a pulp in the center of the teeth, which is commonly known as the dental nerve. Although it has a strong shell, the pulp is also afraid of being too cold or too hot to stimulate. The water is relatively cold in winter, so do not brush with warm water when brushing teeth. It is better to brush with warm water.
2. Misconception of excessive force when brushing teeth: Brushing teeth involves using a toothbrush to rub against the surface of the teeth to remove food residue and plaque. Appropriate force can achieve the desired effect, but excessive force not only fails to clean thoroughly, but also damages the teeth and gums, making them sensitive to heat and cold.
3. Avoid brushing horizontally: Most people use a brushing method similar to sawing, where the enamel near the gums is the thinnest. Repeated friction and stimulation during brushing can cause varying degrees of wear and tear. After wear and tear, the tooth will experience discomfort caused by hot, cold, sour, sweet, and sour stimulation, severely exposing nerves and causing severe pain. The correct way to brush teeth is to form a 45 degree angle between the bristles and the surface of the tooth, and clean the surface of the tooth from top to bottom on the upper teeth and from bottom to top on the lower teeth.
4. Proper use of dental floss: When food blockage occurs after eating, toothpicks should not be used. Thick toothpicks can easily puncture gums and have poor disinfection. The correct method is to use dental floss to clean food residue between teeth.
5. Regarding mouthwash: Saltwater and mouthwash not only kill bacteria, but also damage normal bacteria and cells in the mouth. Therefore, we do not recommend long-term use of salt water or various brands of mouthwash for mouthwash, as this does not achieve good health benefits. Rinse with warm water after meals.
6. Wear a mask when going out: People with sensitive teeth may feel uncomfortable when exposed to cold stimuli. In winter, wearing a mask when going out can prevent cold wind from hitting their teeth directly, protect them from cold stimuli, and also help prevent pathogenic bacteria from entering the body. However, masks need to be cleaned in a timely manner to maintain hygiene.
7. Do not eat food that has been too hot: Although eating food that has been too hot can make people feel warm in the cold winter, it may damage the oral mucosa and cause oral ulcers. Therefore, when food is too hot, it is necessary to blow it and wait until the oral temperature is acceptable before eating.
Mu Lan, Department of Stomatology, Second Outpatient Department of Henan Provincial Directly Affiliated Institutions