This Saturday, 20 March 2021 is World Oral Health Day, and this year’s theme is ‘Be Proud of Your Mouth. The Kaya Breakfast team’s weekly medical feature was all about inspiring people to focus on the importance of oral health, because good oral health can help us live longer, healthier lives.
This week the team was joined by Dr Tiny Mhinga and Dr Kometsi “Dr K” Mokuele to talk about all things dental health.
When your gums start bleeding
Many people complain that when they floss, their gums start bleeding and Dr K , advised that in order to minimize and even eliminate bleeding, you need to rinse your mouth with salt water after every floss.
“Some people say they bleed because they floss, while in actual fact, you don’t bleed because you don’t floss. If you get used to it and start rinsing either with saltwater or medicated mouthwash you find that after 5 days, you have smooth sailing.”
3 important reasons to get flossing ASAP
Also Read: How to encourage your kids to make healthy lifestyle choices(Opens in a new browser tab)
It improves the appearance of your teeth
Flossing is one of the easiest way to ensure that you have an everlasting smile that will stay flawless for years to come. It is also great for the overall brightness of your teeth and helps with having a powerful combination of a bright smile and healthy gums.
It prevents gum disease
When you floss, you are getting rid of plaque on your teeth, which is known to lead to gum disease. You want to start flossing if you don’t want to wake up one day with bleeding gums as well as tooth and bone loss.
It gives you fresh breath
Flossing has been applauded for years for getting rid of trapped little bits of food in your mouth that can cause your breath to really stink. Having a consistent, thorough oral care routine will reward you with fresh breath.
