AskMeDoctor! Season 4 Episode 13: How Children's Oral Hygiene Can Improve Overall Health

Brushing teeth can be such a chore, especially for children with oral sensitivities. But did you know that a simple act of brushing teeth can also affect our overall health? So, today we have Dr. Najib Daud from from DentaLevant Dental Clinic to share his expertise in this area. Q1. What is oral hygiene? Dr. Najib: Basically, oral hygiene is about keeping your mouth in a good condition. People usually misunderstand that taking care of their mouth is only about taking care of their teeth. Actually, there is more to a mouth than just teeth. It’s about teeth, gums, tongue, cheeks and others. That’s why we have the practice of brushing, flossing and even gargling. Why do we have to do all these things? Because in our mouth we have bacteria. So, we have to make sure that the bacteria in our mouths are under control. By keeping our mouths in a good condition, we can make sure that the bacteria are under control. It is not just about having great or beautiful teeth only. It’s about having a clean and healthy mouth. Q2. Why is oral hygiene important? Dr. Najib: Oral hygiene, as we all know, the mouth is the entry point to our digestive and respiratory tract. Like I said before, our mouth contains a lot of microorganisms or bacteria. So, these bacteria can travel to other parts of our body. So, by keeping our bodies and mouths in a good condition, we are reducing the multiplication of bacteria and in a way, it prevents infections to other parts of our body. Q3. What conditions can be linked to oral health? Dr. Najib: For today I will highlight 2 medical problems. The first is Infective Endocarditis. It is about the infection of the inner lining of our heart. That is caused by the bacteria in our mouths. It can travel through our bloodstream and stick to the inner parts of our heart and cause infection The second one I want to touch on is our respiratory system. Pneumonia can be caused by microorganisms from our mouths where it travels through our respiratory tract and causes difficulty in breathing. Poor oral conditions may also be an indicator that a person has other medical problems. One of them is diabetes. For your information, diabetic patients have a problem with low amounts of saliva in their mouths. When they have low amounts of saliva in their mouths, it can cause the bacteria to multiply faster. So, they will attack our gums and teeth and finally cause cavities, gum problems and so on. People always think that saliva is a bad thing in their mouths. They don’t like the smell of saliva. But actually, saliva is good for our body, you know? It helps to overcome and control the interaction between microorganisms and our tooth structure. Q4. How does good oral hygiene improve oral health? Dr. Najib: A healthy mouth and a healthy body go hand in hand. So, to have a good oral condition for your children is more than just ensuring they have a million-dollar smile. A good oral hygiene actually improves the overall well-being of your children in many ways. First, it boosts your children’s self-esteem and confidence. Children who have bad oral conditions usually lack self-confidence. Secondly, it actually leads to a better quality of life. Because if you have good teeth, a good mouth and good of everything in your oral hygiene, you can eat, sleep well and even concentrate better during school. You don’t need to think about having a toothache. And thirdly, interestingly, when you have good oral hygiene, it also makes your memory work better. And also, there will be less infections in our bodies. Q5. How do we encourage good oral hygiene? Dr. Najib: You must know that kids learn best through observation. As a parent, we must be the role model. Show them what good oral hygiene practice is all about. Spend some time to make sure they brush and floss their teeth every day. And it is a must. Parents should buy oral care products that are specialised for kids. Some parents think that kids can use adult products. But actually, it is not the same. It will give your children excitement. Besides that, it also provides more efficiency in brushing compared to using adult products. Because if it’s too big, it will be difficult for them to move and they won’t feel comfortable. Putting a big toothbrush inside their mouth is something difficult. Even when they try to move the brush, according to the right method, it is also difficult. It will make them think that brushing their teeth is a hassle. Talking about toothbrushes, it is not the size or hard bristles that matter. You have to choose soft bristles with an adequate size according to the age of the person. To all parents out there, be sure to set a good example for your kids to follow and always make brushing their teeth a fun occasion. Q6. When would be the best time to introduce toothpaste to them? Dr. Najib: Most dentists worldwide recommend using fluoridated toothpaste, even myself. But for children, I know there are some occasions at their stage of life, they don’t know how to spit it out. For these kinds of patients or children, I usually recommend them to take a flavoured non-fluoridated toothpaste. Non-fluoridated toothpaste is okay for the beginning stage. Because we want to make sure they like the habit of brushing their teeth, that they enjoy it. And most importantly, to keep their mouth and teeth clean. As time goes on, maybe you can slowly change to fluoridated toothpaste—when they know how to wash and spit out properly. I really recommend it because you don't have to wait until your children can spit to use toothpaste. You can start anytime if it is non-fluoridated. Fluoridated, we advise patients not to swallow. It is not good to swallow too many times because it causes troubles such as fluorosis at a later age, in adults. Usually, you will see the effects when our permanent teeth grow out. For your information, fluorosis is a condition where you have white patches on the surface of your teeth. This is due to the ingestion of fluoridated toothpaste or fluoridated water during our growing phase. https://www.youtube.com/watch?vfh1-VcbOSOU Improve Your Child's Oral Health with MorningKiss Junior MOPEA Starter Kit MorningKiss Junior MOPEA Starter Kit is your kids’ perfect start to healthy oral care. It is gentle on growing gums, and contains no SLS, Parabens, Fluoride and Saccharin, making it very convenient for kids and parents! We hope we’ve helped you gain some valuable insights on oral care for kids with Dr Najib. Stay tuned for more parenting tips with our next AskMeDoctor! episode. Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner. For more insightful stories and fun recipes, stay tuned to Motherhood Story!

Family Planning by

Family Fun By Sunway Malls

Motherhood Panel of Experts

More Stories

Prenatal milk powders