There are two main types of tooth disease: tooth decay and gum infections.
Gum diseases are exceedingly important, because when these are not
treated they may even go so far as to cause the jaw bone, in which the
teeth are rooted, to dissolve. Impairment of dental health, on the
other hand, can affect other organs in the body.
Tooth Decay
The main foods that cause tooth decay are carbohydrates and sugary
substances. If the teeth are not properly cleaned after eating such
foods, food wastes and germs accumulate on the tooth surface. Bacteria
inside the mouth use the sugary substances in food wastes to form
accumulations known as plaque. Plaque makes it easier for bacteria to
adhere to the teeth. In this way, the acid produced by bacteria, which
is present in sugary substances used to sweeten foods, causes the
tooth enamel to dissolve by opening up minute cavities in it. Germs
entering through these dissolved regions cause tooth decay and can
easily reach the underlying tissue.
Gum Diseases
The gum diseases that arise in the event that the mouth is not kept
properly clean represent some of the most important oral problems. A
gum disease caused by bacterial plaque on the tooth surface leads to
infection of the gums, teeth sockets and floor of the mouth. The gums
bleed easily right from the initial stage of the disease. If this
disease is not treated it may lead to infection of and damage to the
jawbone.
Three basic factors in tooth decay are:
• A sensitive tooth surface
• Food wastes ideally suited to micro-organisms
• The presence of micro-organisms that break these down and lead to
acid formation
How to Maintain Oral and Dental Hygiene?
• Regular brushing is essential.
• Dental floss must be used.
• Avoid highly acidic and sugary foods as much as possible. Teeth must
always be brushed after eating those, because excessively acidic and
sugary foods enhance the effect of micro-organisms.
• There must be sufficient fluoride in the water, or else toothpastes
containing fluoride should be used. Fluoride makes the teeth more
resistant to decay.
• The teeth should not be brought into contact with hard objects.
• Do not use your teeth to break shelled foodstuffs such as walnuts
and hazelnuts, because these cause cracking of the tooth enamel and
increase the effect of bacteria. This means the elimination of the
protective effect of the enamel.
• Visit your dentist at least twice a year.
Hygiene: The Most Effective Way of Protecting the Teeth
• The most effective way of protecting the teeth is to clean them by
regular brushing. Teeth must always be brushed after eating.
• There is a special brushing technique. Because although the teeth
are covered with a very hard layer, the enamel, they can still be
badly damaged if the wrong brush or brushing technique are employed.
Erosion of the upper part of the tooth or the layer surrounding the
root may lead to retraction of the gums, making the teeth even more
prone to decay.
Stage One: Brushing
• Toothbrush selection is very important. Hard brushes may cause
scratching of the enamel. The best, unless a special brush is
recommended by a dentist, are medium firmness, nylon brushes.
• Brushes whose heads are not too large are to be preferred as these
permit easy movement inside the mouth and can reach the back teeth
without difficulty.
• Brushing should begin at a 45 degree angle, starting from gum level
with small, circular movements towards the oral cavity.
• Brushing starting from the teeth surfaces should not be in the form
of harsh movements, but gentle, from the front teeth to the back. The
interior surfaces of the teeth should be cleaned in the same way, with
chewing surfaces being brushed using circular movements.
• Brushing should last at least 2-3 minutes.
• Toothbrushes should be replaced every few months.
Stage Two: Dental Floss
After brushing, the best way of removing food particles is to use
dental floss. Because these particles remaining between the teeth are
one of the main causes of decay. However, care must be taken not to
cut the gums during this process.
Diseases Resulting from a Failure to Maintain oral and Dental Hygiene
Unhealthy teeth and gums that are not adequately cleaned and cared for
represent a focus for infection in the body and can thus have a
damaging effect on other tissues and organs. Tooth decay has been
determined to lead to sinusitis, tonsil infection, rheumatism, bone
wastage, diabetes, and respiratory system, heart disease and digestive
problems.
OUR PROPHET (SAAS) ATTACHED GREAT IMPORTANCE TO DENTAL AND ORAL HYGIENE
When we look at his life and hadiths, it can be seen that our Prophet
(saas) attached great importance to cleanliness. The Prophet (saas)
recommended that believers should be clean in these terms in one
hadith: "Islam is cleanliness, the absence of dirt. You, too, must be
clean and wash, because it is the clean who enter paradise." (1)
One of the aspects of cleanliness to which our Prophet (saas) attached
great importance was care of the teeth and mouth. In describing the
Prophet (saas) his companions stated that his teeth shone like pearls,
were spotlessly clean, white and sparkling. (2) We are told that our
Prophet (saas) cleaned his teeth using the "misvak" made from the
roots and branches of the "arak" tree grown in Arabia.
In addition, our Prophet (saas) was a role model for a society that
had no knowledge of cleanliness in the days before Islam, educating
people in the most appropriate way by imparting information inspired
by Allah. One hadith reports the following words of our Beloved
Prophet (saas) on the subject of dental care: "Jabir relates: 'The
Prophet (saws) stated "Crescent cleaning purifies the teeth, whitens
them, strengthens their roots and makes the breath smell sweet".'" (3)
One of the important details set out in the hadith concerns how the
teeth are to be brushed. "Crescent cleaning" refers to brushing the
teeth using circular, half-moon movements. This technique differs from
the right-left brushing technique that damages the enamel and wears
away the gums.
Circular movements are recommended by modern dentists, in the same way
as reported in the hadith, who state that this is the best way of
removing food particles from between the teeth.
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