EMBARRASSING moments have always been part of our lives, including the time when we were laughing so hard with our friends—or worse, in front of our crush—and not realizing that we had food debris stuck in our teeth.
We only notice it once someone points it out (we’re lucky to have that kind of person in our lives) or when we look at ourselves in the mirror.
At that point, we’re in a hurry to look for a toothpick or use dental floss. Perhaps, some of us would go straight to a public restroom to brush our teeth to make sure they’re thoroughly cleaned—but that’s what we thought.
Brushing our teeth plays a crucial role in maintaining good oral hygiene, but doing it in public restrooms may pose health risks.
Oral health is ‘very important’
Our teeth are as important as any of our body parts. Many times, we neglect our duty to go for a dental checkup and only pay our dentist a visit when we are already in pain.
Dr. Francheska Briones, a general dentist for six years, highlighted the importance of having good oral health, saying that it may adversely affect one’s overall health if disregarded.
“Number one po talaga yung hygiene. Pero kunwari nagka-problem tayo sa teeth, nagkaroon ng infection, minsan po may bacteria na nagko-cause rin po ng heart problems,” she told RepublicAsia team.
“Very important po talaga yung oral health overall po sa katawan natin kasi po maraming nag-a-assume na, ‘Ah, ngipin lang ‘yan eh, hindi naman naaapektuhan yung buong katawan,’ pero meron po talagang certain bacteria na nakakaapekto rin sa heart po na nagsisimula po sa infection sa ngipin,” she added.
Briones shared one case of a patient who was found to have oral cancer. According to Mayo Clinic, oral cancer, or mouth cancer, develops when “cells on the lips or in the mouth develop changes (mutations) in their DNA,” but it is unclear yet how they mutate.
The disease may occur on the lips, gums, tongue, inner lining of the cheeks, roof of the mouth, or floor of the mouth (under the tongue), it added.
This is why undergoing regular checkups is essential to detect early signs of health issues and prevent them, said Briones.
“Very important po yung lagi tayong nagpapa-checkup para aware po tayo sa nangyayari na rin sa katawan natin. Kasi, yun nga po, kumakalat na pala yung cancer hindi alam nung patient,” she explained.
Brushing teeth in public restrooms not advisable
Growing up, we were told by our elders to brush our teeth every after eating or three times a day. Some of us probably try to comply with that by bringing our toothbrushes with us all the time and having our teeth cleaned in schools, offices, or any communal restrooms we can find.
While brushing our teeth is hygienic, Briones said it is not advisable to do it in public restrooms. This is to prevent catching diseases since studies have shown that public restrooms can harbor bacteria and viruses like Salmonella and E. coli.
“Sa public restroom, syempre po mas susceptible po tayo sa bacteria. Alam niyo naman po yung cases sa public restroom kung gaano siya kadumi, yung germs. So, for me, hindi ko talaga siya nire-recommend,” the dental expert said.
She recommended brushing teeth at least two times a day; one in the morning and one at night before sleeping.
“Okay lang naman po kunwari magba-brush tayo ng teeth sa sink, pero hindi po sa restroom talaga. Anywhere with sink po okay lang, ‘wag lang po sa restroom,” she emphasized.
Instead of brushing in public restrooms, Briones advised the general public to use dental floss or interdental brush, particularly for people with braces, to remove food debris on teeth.
Tips to improve oral health
Several individuals would probably brush their teeth right after eating, but Briones advised to hold it off for a few minutes.
She recommends brushing their teeth 30 minutes after eating because acids from the food they consume might damage the outer layer of their teeth.
“Yung acid po natin sa mouth after kumain [ay] mas grabe po siya. So, ‘pag nag-brush tayo ng teeth after eating, mas nagagasgas po yung teeth natin nung acid na ‘yon,” Briones explained.
The dentist also advised brushing teeth before eating breakfast.
“Kasi po tulog tayo, marami pong naiipon na bacteria sa bibig natin, tapos ‘pag kumain tayo, syempre, ikakain lang din natin yung bacteria na naipon habang tulog tayo,” she said.
Additionally, Briones highlighted the significance of using dental floss regularly to prevent cavities or tooth decay.
“Marami po kasing nagne-neglect na Pilipino sa pagfo-floss kasi tinatamad. Pero very important po yung pagfo-floss kahit once a day lang. Perfect time po is sa gabi po after ng long day,” she said.
The dental expert noted that most of the cases dentists encounter are tooth decay that starts in between teeth.
“Yung floss po nari-reach niya po yung kasingit-singitan ng ngipin natin na hindi nari-reach ng pag-toothbrush,” she explained. “Floss is very important, plus mouthwash din po gabi-gabi para po sa fresh breath din.”
Lastly, Briones advised individuals to undergo a dental checkup every six months to identify and address problems with teeth immediately.
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