September is Oral Health Month, making it a good time to look beyond the obvious when it comes to taking care of our mouths. Most of us associate oral health with keeping our teeth clean and preventing cavities, but our gums, tongue and the spaces between our teeth also play an important role.
More broadly, gum disease has been associated with more than 50 systemic conditions, highlighting why oral health is increasingly being considered as part of overall wellbeing.
Cleaning between the teeth
Yet South Africans may still be falling short when it comes to some of the basics. A survey of South African dental professionals by Ivodent and Sunstar GUM suggests that only about a third of South Africans clean between their teeth daily, while an estimated 40% use an incorrect brushing technique.
And while brushing twice a day is a familiar instruction, experts say there is no single oral-care routine that works equally well for everyone. A child learning how to brush, a teenager wearing braces, an adult dealing with gum problems and an older person with changing oral-care needs may all live under the same roof, but their mouths can require very different approaches.
Also Read: Brush your teeth, smile and start enjoying life again
“Oral care is one of those habits that naturally becomes part of family life,” says Dirna Grobbelaar, Ivohealth Oral Hygiene Advisor and GUM spokesperson.
“But while consistency is important, that doesn’t mean everyone in the family should follow exactly the same routine. What works best will depend on each person’s individual needs.”
Age is one factor, but it is not the only consideration. Someone with braces, for example, may need to pay particular attention to cleaning around brackets and wires, while a person with implants may have different cleaning requirements. Another family member may need additional help with cleaning between their teeth or looking after their gums.
This means choosing an oral-care product should start with the person rather than simply reaching for whatever everyone else in the household is using.
“With shelves full of toothbrushes, toothpastes, interdental products and mouthrinses, knowing what to choose isn’t always straightforward,” says Grobbelaar.
“Someone with braces will face different cleaning challenges to someone with implants, while another family member may need more support cleaning between their teeth or caring for their gums.”
The good news is that tailoring a routine does not necessarily mean making it more complicated. In fact, understanding what your mouth needs can make it easier to establish habits that are realistic and sustainable.
Brushing is only the beginning
For many people, brushing is synonymous with oral hygiene. But the toothbrush cannot reach every part of the mouth effectively.
Areas between the teeth can be particularly easy to overlook, which is why interdental cleaning forms an important part of a comprehensive routine.
For Oral Health Month, GUM is highlighting four elements of oral care: cleaning the tongue, cleaning between the teeth with an appropriate interdental tool, brushing with toothpaste and using a mouthrinse where appropriate.
“Brushing tends to get most of our attention, which means other parts of oral care can easily be overlooked,” says Grobbelaar.
“Looking at the complete routine can help you spot the gaps and make sure you’re giving the rest of your mouth the attention it needs.”
Also Read:Billions of people globally suffer from oral diseases – report
The emphasis on a complete routine also comes as research continues to examine the relationship between oral health and wider health. Gum disease has been associated with conditions including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, while research is also exploring potential links between oral health and mental health conditions such as depression.
These associations do not mean that gum disease directly causes these conditions. Rather, they reinforce the importance of paying attention to oral health as part of broader healthcare.
“Looking after your mouth shouldn’t be seen in isolation from looking after the rest of your body,” says Grobbelaar.
When your routine needs a reset
Another mistake is assuming that once you have found an oral-care routine that works, you can follow it indefinitely.
Our needs can change.
Getting braces, having an implant fitted, experiencing gum problems or simply moving into a different stage of life can all be reasons to reassess what happens during those few minutes in front of the bathroom mirror.
For parents, this also means resisting the temptation to treat oral care as a one-size-fits-all family chore.
Instead, children can be taught age-appropriate brushing habits, teenagers with orthodontic appliances can be encouraged to pay attention to hard-to-reach areas, while adults and older family members may need to adapt their routines according to their dental health and dexterity. The bathroom may be shared, but the routine does not have to be.
So, when was the last time you actually looked at your family’s oral-care habits? Are everyone’s toothbrushes appropriate for their needs? Are the spaces between teeth being cleaned? Is anyone struggling to brush effectively? Has someone’s dental situation changed without their home routine changing with it?
GUM’s online Family Routine Builder aims to help consumers assess these habits by asking four questions about an individual or household before suggesting a tailored GUM oral-care routine. But online tools should complement rather than replace professional advice.
“Good oral care shouldn’t feel overwhelming. It’s about building good habits and choosing the right tools for your individual needs and if you’re unsure about what’s right for you or someone in your family, your dental professional can help guide you.”
- September is Oral Health Month, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive oral care beyond just teeth cleaning, including gums, tongue, and spaces between teeth.
- A survey by Ivodent and Sunstar GUM found that only about a third of South Africans clean between their teeth daily, and around 40% use an incorrect brushing technique.
- Oral care routines should be tailored to individual needs, as different age groups and dental conditions, such as braces or implants, require specific care approaches.
- GUM highlights four essential oral care elements: tongue cleaning, interdental cleaning, brushing with toothpaste, and using mouthrinse when appropriate.
- Gum disease is linked to over 50 systemic conditions, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, underscoring the connection between oral health and overall wellbeing.
More broadly, gum disease has been associated with more than 50 systemic conditions, highlighting why oral health is increasingly being considered as part of overall wellbeing.
Yet
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“Oral care is one of those habits that naturally becomes part of family life,” says Dirna Grobbelaar,
“But while consistency is important, that doesn’t mean everyone in the family should follow exactly the same routine. What works best will depend on each person’s individual needs.”
Age is one factor, but it is not the only consideration. Someone with braces, for example, may need to pay particular attention to cleaning around brackets and wires, while a person with implants may have different cleaning requirements.
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“Someone with braces will face different cleaning challenges to someone with implants, while another family member may need more support cleaning between their teeth or caring for their gums.”
For many people, brushing is synonymous with oral hygiene. But the toothbrush cannot reach every part of the mouth effectively.
Areas between the teeth can be particularly easy to overlook, which is why interdental cleaning forms an important part of a comprehensive routine.
For Oral
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Also Read:Billions of people globally suffer from oral diseases – report
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Our needs can change.
For parents, this also means resisting the temptation to treat oral care as a one-size-fits-all family chore.
Instead, children can be taught age-appropriate brushing habits, teenagers with orthodontic appliances can be encouraged to pay attention to hard-to-reach areas, while adults and older family members may need to adapt their routines according to their dental health and dexterity.
So, when was the last time you actually looked at your family’s oral-care habits? Are everyone’s toothbrushes appropriate for their needs? Are the spaces between teeth being cleaned? Is anyone struggling to brush effectively? Has someone’s dental situation changed without their home routine changing with it?
GUM’s online Family Routine Builder aims to help consumers assess these habits by asking four questions about an individual or household before suggesting a tailored GUM oral-care routine. But online tools should complement rather than replace professional advice.
“Good oral care shouldn’t feel overwhelming. It’s about building good habits and choosing the right tools for your individual needs and if you’re unsure about what’s right for you or someone in your family, your dental professional can help guide you.”
