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Dental squadron offers oral hygiene tips

  • Published
  • 51st Dental Squadron
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  More than 1,500 people assigned to Osan Air Base are at risk of losing some or all of their teeth to decay! However, you can significantly reduce your risk of developing dental caries (decay) by developing and maintaining the American Dental Association's proper oral hygiene techniques. This includes brushing both your teeth and your tongue, along with flossing. Good oral hygiene begins with a good soft bristled toothbrush! 

Although brushing after each meal would be ideal, you should brush at least twice a day; once in the morning and once at night. Begin every day with a thorough brushing by pointing the bristles of your soft toothbrush at a slight angle toward your gums and brushing in a slightly circular motion. This ensures you clean both the surface of the tooth as well as the small pocket that forms at the base of your gum-line. 

Your mouth should be squeaky clean before you go to bed each night. Your saliva contains vital neutralizers that help prevent decay during the day but you have decreased saliva flow while sleeping at night. If you don't brush before bed, food debris from your daily diet remains on your teeth throughout the night, weakens your enamel and ultimately increases the possibility of decay. 

Daily brushing is not only effective for cleaning all the flat surfaces of your teeth but it works wonders for cleaning your tongue! Your tongue should also be cleaned every day because it also accumulates bacteria from the food that you eat. This bacteria, if not removed from the tongue, is one of the major causes of bad breath. During the day your saliva helps wash away some of these odor causing bacteria helping to minimize the extent of bad breath. Unfortunately, due to the minimal amounts of saliva produced during sleep, the odor-causing bacteria grow and multiply and results in the dreaded "morning breath!" Tongue cleaners or toothbrush cleaners are great tools for removing the bacteria from your tongue and keeping your breath "minty-fresh." 

Brushing your teeth and your tongue is essential before going to bed but you should never overlook the importance of flossing. Proper flossing helps remove food and bacteria from the surfaces between the teeth. It's essential that you floss at least once a day to prevent decay from occurring between your teeth and below your gum line. Use 12-18 inches of waxed floss and use a slight up and down motion on both surfaces between the teeth to be most effective. Floss every night before you go to bed. Remember, you have reduced saliva flow during sleep so you must remove all traces of food you have consumed during the day. 

It is up to you to care for you teeth properly. By following these tips you will reduce your chance of developing decay. Brush at least twice a day, morning and night. Your tongue must also be cleansed daily to prevent the accumulation of odor-causing bacteria that lead to bad breath. Flossing once a day is vital to cleansing the areas in between your teeth. The helpful staff of the Osan Air Base Dental Squadron will be happy to demonstrate the proper techniques you need to achieve optimal oral hygiene and keep you from being one of those 1,500!