Written by Pharmacist Nestor Ogu

Oral care involves the teeth, gums, palate and the tongue. Adequate oral health promotes good quality of life and ensures physical, psychological, emotional and mental wellbeing.

The WHO constitution states: "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." An important implication of this definition is that mental health is more than just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities.

Oral health is the state of the mouth, teeth and orofacial structures that enables individuals to perform essential functions such as eating, breathing and speaking, and encompasses psychosocial dimensions such as self-confidence, well-being and the ability to socialize and work without pain and discomfort. Like other areas of the body, your mouth teems with bacteria — mostly harmless. But your mouth is the entry point to your digestive and respiratory tracts, and some of these bacteria can cause disease.

Normally the body's natural defenses and good oral health care, such as daily brushing and flossing, keep bacteria under control. However, without proper oral hygiene, bacteria can reach levels that might lead to oral infections, such as tooth decay and gum diseases.

5 principles of oral health hygiene

Keep a consistent brushing schedule. First, it is crucial to maintain a consistent brushing schedule, which means brushing your teeth twice a day. …

Floss and use mouth rinse every day. …

Use fluoride toothpaste and mouth rinse

Avoid harmful foods and drinks

Drink water throughout each day

Implications of bad oral health include but not limited to:

Heart Diseases

Blood vessel blockade

Stroke

Pregnancy and birth complications

Pneumonia

Kidney disease

GIT diseases etc

Diseases that can lead to bad oral health include:

HIV

Diabetes

Osteoporosis and Cancer

Your oral health is as important as your overall health. Maintaining a proper health is can enable you maintain a sound personality overall.