Journal of Preventive Medicine

Preventive Medicine: Oral Care and Hygiene

Maintaining a good oral health and hygiene enhances our ability to speak, smile, eat, and show our emotions through facial expressions. Preventive oral health habits, such as regular dental care and good oral hygiene, developed early in life can lead to better overall oral health throughout a person's life. While oral health worldwide has improved overall over the past several decades, people in the low-income countries still go without basic dental care, consequentially resulting in higher rates of oral diseases [1]. Oral diseases, from tooth decay to gum disease and oral cancer, still cause significant pain and hardship for many adults and children, particularly those lacking access to care and preventive services. Access to affordable preventive dental care helps in decreasing disparities in oral health in the communities lacking access. In particular, early prevention and early intervention in early childhood and adolescent years are important because losing teeth has considerable potential implications on a person's overall well-being that continues throughout their life.

Author(s):

Janne Srujani

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