Oral Care as part of your beauty Regimen

When you think of Oral Care, the first thing that would mainly come to mind is this 3 minute mundane activity, spent absent- mindedly brushing your teeth as you think about all that is to be done in a day or you think about that dentist visit that is now way overdue.

Traditionally, here in Kenya people will generally get their teeth cleaned once or twice a year, at least for those that care for their dental health. So, as long as the dentist has not found any cavities, you are sent home with a reminder to brush twice daily and floss your teeth regularly.

In recent times however, there has been a growing number of people who have made oral care become an integral part of their beauty routine. 

When Covid – 19 pandemic hit the world, a majority of people were not able to book their dental visits for their routine check ups and cleaning and as a result, many people started  experiencing dental problems. It was also noted that even after dental offices began opening up again, people still delayed getting that regular cleaning.

However, since the pandemic, there has been a wave of change in how people see themselves. More and more people have become aware of their teeth, lips and smile due to the calls held online via Zoom or Facetime. Now with the rise in use of social media, people are now keen on appearances and teeth have not been exempted.

On these social networks we have been seeing celebrities and influencers show off their flashy pearly white teeth and million dollar smiles. And for the rest of us who are active on the social media scenes, see ourselves more on camera than ever before.

In this regard, we are seeing oral care incredibly change from what it was a decade ago. Procedures such as veneers and teeth whitening have become quite popular and something like teeth whitening which was initially an in- office based treatment, can be done at home with just a set of white strips.

Perfecting that smile is becoming increasingly popular than ever, paving the way for a brand new category in beauty – oral care. A less known fact is that oral care is not just about taking care of your mouth, it also affects how your skin looks too. 

We are seeing brands increasingly repositioning themselves to capitalize in the wellness and self care culture in order to help people to be the healthiest versions of themselves.

Brands are providing very elegant packaging of their oral care products and toxin free formulae which is brightening up a category that was known to be unpleasant and boring. 

Toothpastes are now available in sleek tubes or even upcycled glass containers; tooth brushes are looking more and more luxurious than what we are accustomed to, while mouthwash and floss are made of nourishing ingredients.

So does beauty and oral hygiene go together? Let’s look at how these two are correlated.
 

1. HEALTHY SKIN:
We have seen a surge in the number of people taking care of their overall health by taking a keen look into what they eat as well as maintaining an active lifestyle. 

However, you may be on a strict healthy diet, exercising regularly as recommended and using the best skin care products but if you have poor dental hygiene, your skin will definitely not have that healthy beautiful glow.

A lesser known fact is that oral care is not just about taking care of your dental health but it also affects how your skin looks too. Oral health goes beyond the health of teeth, gums and mouth or even the cosmetic status of having bright white teeth. 

The mouth is a gateway to your body and the condition of your teeth and gums has a significant impact on the overall health as well as the health of your skin. This is because if one’s oral health is compromised, it may lead to the introduction of bacteria to the bloodstream causing inflammation, infection and disease.

2. HEALTHY SMILE:
We now live in the modern times which has now become more visual than before and due to social media, optics have become the new trend. Everyone wants to look good in the pictures they post and a beautiful smile goes hand in hand with this.

The discolouration of teeth which is usually caused by lifestyle habits such as too much caffeine from tea or coffee, starch from foods such potatoes, smoking, drinking water that has a high concentration of fluoride among other reasons, can contribute to the discolouration of teeth.

Thankfully, to afford you that beautiful smile, there are treatments available to deal with tooth discolouration depending on the issue one has. 

The basics to having clean healthy teeth is  making sure you brush your teeth twice a day and flossing before going to bed to ensure you remove any food debris left in between your teeth, that your toothbrush cannot reach.

At the dentist’s office, one can get their teeth bleached where the dentist puts a protective gel or rubber shield on your gums and then applies a bleaching agent to your teeth. Also available is a custom-fitted tray that one can use at home with whitening gel.

What is even more exciting is that there is the availability of in-home whitening agents such as whitening strips which one can purchase from the dentist or Oral Care stores.

While teeth whitening appears not to offer any observable health benefit, most people associate white teeth with younger, healthier teeth. There is an increasing desire to not only feel clean, but also have visibly clearer and brighter teeth.

3. FRESH BREATH:
Teeth beauty is not only in the appearance but also includes how our mouth smells. Can you imagine trying to have a conversation with someone but their facial gestures simply imply disgust but you are just having a normal pleasant conversation?

Well, that is not ideal and it may mean bad breath which is a main concern for many people. While the issue of bad breath could be attributed to oral cavity, sometimes it goes beyond this and it could be as a result of systemic diseases and therefore there is need for further evaluation by a physician.

Bad breath due to oral cavity can be treated with the basics that is brushing teeth in the morning and evening, flossing and using a mouthwash. Oral mouthwash helps get rid of debris that irritates the gum line and causes gingivitis. It prevents plaque accumulation and also kills harmful bacteria in the mouth. 

Confidence can be elevated by having a beautiful big and happy smile which can almost immediately lift your mood. Today, part of the beauty routine of the new-age era of adults includes a healthy oral care routine for that picture-perfect smile for social media, Zoom calls, and healthier dental aging.