The Philippine Dental Association (PDA) said that dental caries, commonly known as tooth decay, ranks as the foremost problem, followed closely by gingivitis and oral cancer.
"These are the three major concerns of the oral cavity," said former President of the PDA Dr. Jose Angelo Militante, during an interview with TeleRadyo Serbisyo on Friday, March 8.
He underscored the significance of addressing the root causes of tooth decay, emphasizing the detrimental effects of sugar consumption and poor dental hygiene practices.
"The first cause is sugar because it's a significant concern, followed by systemic diseases like diabetes and poor dental hygiene practices such as not brushing and flossing," noted Militante.
Concerning this, he stressed that visiting the dentist should not only happen when someone experiences tooth pain.
"Because when you go to the dentist today, we will classify you as high risk, medium risk, or poor risk," Militante said.
He emphasized that if a patient is classified as high-risk, it means they should return to the dentist frequently, like every three to four months, to be educated on how to maintain their teeth.
Militante also mentioned that a patient's risk can be identified based on the number of problems in the oral cavity.
Moreover, he underscored the importance of proper brushing techniques and the selection of suitable toothbrush bristles to maximize effectiveness.
He noted that maintaining oral health primarily involves mechanical means; it's essential to remove dirt from the teeth by using a toothbrush.
"It happens in several areas of the Philippines where there is a family that only uses one toothbrush, and believe it or not, there are people who don't brush their teeth,” Militante stated.
"Pangalawa is ang flouride application. If we can't remove properly ang mga dumi sa ngipin sa pamamagitan ng pagsisipilyo, ay magiging useless ang oral health natin (Secondly, there's the fluoride application. If we can't properly remove the dirt from our teeth through brushing, our oral health efforts will be useless)," Militante said.
He emphasized that, besides personal tooth care through brushing, guidance from a dentist is necessary.
Proper brushing techniques
Additionally, Militante said that brushing should be done a minimum of two times a day, stating, "But the maximum is after every meal, which is advisable because we eat food, and food with high sugar, so we have to eliminate that sugar from our mouths."
He highlighted that brushing forcefully doesn't necessarily mean cleaner teeth.
"Hindi po dapat ganito dahil baka dumugo ang gilagid, minsan nato-taumatized ng mga kababayan natin ang gilagid kasi 'di tama ang method (It shouldn't be like this because it might cause the gums to bleed. Sometimes, our fellow citizens traumatize their gums because the method isn't correct)," Militante said.
He said that ideally, brushing should last for two minutes, and "horizontal strokes" should "not" be used for brushing because they scratch the teeth.
"Kailangan up and down ang pagsisipilyo at all surfaces of the teeth at mahalaga ring sipilyuhin ang dila (Brushing should be up and down on all surfaces of the teeth, and it's also important to brush the “tongue”)," Militante said.
He emphasized that some bacteria or sugar from chewed food are not on the teeth but on the tongue.
"Tongue cleaners are okay, but toothbrushes are also okay, but we have to choose what type of bristles you want to use," Militante noted.
Choosing the right toothbrush
He advised against using hard bristles. Instead, use "soft or medium" bristles.
"There is technology now where the more bristles your toothbrush has, the more effective it is," Militante pointed out.
Meanwhile, in choosing toothpaste, Militante said there is fluoride specifically for kids, depending on the child's age.
"Once the kids grow older, the more they will need fluoride," he stated.
Additionally, Militante provided insights into toothbrush maintenance and the optimal timing for toothbrush replacement.
“Usually two to three months pwedeng palitan pero dipende ito sa gamit kasi mayroong bristles na buhaghag na agad wala pang two months (Usually, it can be replaced every two to three months, but it depends on usage because there are bristles that become sparse even before two months),” he explained.
He also discussed the role of fluoride in dental care and addressed common queries regarding “toothbrush wetting” and post-brushing “rinsing” practices.
"It's more anecdotal because the water helps to lubricate the toothpaste onto the toothbrush."
He advocated that after brushing, one should not rinse with water.
"Because it will retain the fluoride in the oral cavity, but again, it depends on the preference and needs of the patient," he clarified.
He said that Filipinos are not accustomed to not rinsing, so they can rinse.
On the other hand, Militante expanded the discourse beyond teeth, emphasizing the holistic nature of oral health, which encompasses the gums, lips, tongue, and jaw.
He highlighted the importance of oral health education and encouraged individuals to adopt comprehensive oral care practices.
Militante reiterated the PDA's commitment to promoting oral health awareness and urged the public to prioritize regular dental check-ups and preventive measures.
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https://mb.com.ph/2024/2/22/tooth-decay-is-a-disease-dental-association-encourages-proper-oral-hygiene-among-filipinos-2