FRIDAY, Oct. 24, 2003 (HealthDayNews) -- If Tammi Byrd were in charge of grading American adults on their oral health habits, she would give most of them a C.
As president of the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA), Byrd knows too many people put off trips to the dentist for checkups and cleanings while also sloughing off brushing and flossing.
Her colleague Katie Dawson would be even tougher.
"I would give the average person a D," says Dawson, who is vice president of the ADHA.
Both Dawson and Byrd hope that since October is National Dental Hygiene Month, the public will become more aware of how important good oral health habits are.
As a recent Academy of General Dentistry poll found, the majority of American adults do think good dental care is vital, but almost half don't visit the dentist as often as recommended.
That may be a huge mistake, because the ADHA says 75 percent of Americans have gum disease, although some of it is in the early stages.
Once you start losing teeth, it's bad news, Byrd says: "You can't eat properly. Not having teeth, you can't speak as well." Worse, many studies have found a link between gum disease and stroke and heart disease.
The hypothesis, although not everyone agrees, is that the same kind of inflammation that occurs with gum disease also occurs in the arteries and leads to cardiovascular problems.
Even if that link is disproved, there are plenty of reasons to take care of your mouth. And good oral hygiene doesn't demand a lot, Byrd says.
It just takes regular checkups and cleanings, and flossing and brushing at home. That's it.
Although six months is the often quoted interval between cleanings, it depends on the person, Byrd says. Depending on your dental health status, longer or shorter intervals between cleaning and visits might be recommended.
"Flossing is where most of us fall down," she says of optimal oral hygiene habits. "It's the time factor. We're a rushed society."
She has a way to make it happen. "Wherever you sit down at the end of the day, keep your floss there." If it's on the arm of your recliner and you floss as you watch the 11 o'clock news, fine with her. "You don't have to be in front of the bathroom mirror to floss," she says.
Flossing once a day, thoroughly, is recommended. Brushing three times a day is standard advice, but Byrd says, "If you do a very thorough job, once a day is enough."
But she defines thorough as brushing for at least three minutes.
"What really removes the plaque is the mechanical action of the toothbrush and the floss," she says.
And on the electric versus manual brush topic, Byrd says it depends. "If you have a lot of manual dexterity, you may be OK with a manual brush."
But Dawson, on the other hand, favors electric brushes because she says there is no way your wrist can move as fast as an electric brush.
Both hygienists say they spend a lot of time telling patients not to overlook obvious warning signs of gum problems.
It's pretty simple, Byrd says: "Your gums are not supposed to bleed."
If any other body part would bleed, you'd seek medical attention fairly quickly, both women say.
Gum bleeding should inspire the same action, they add.
More information
For frequently asked questions about tooth loss and gum disease, visit the American Dental Hygienists' Association. For information on how to best clean your teeth and gums, visit the American Dental Association.
