And now, a few words about oral hygiene

MANILA, Philippines - A smile is our way of expressing pleasure, happiness, amusement. It adds to our personality. It even boosts our confidence, especially when flashing a striking smile with perfect white teeth.

Having a winsome smile is now within one’s reach, what with replacement teeth available everywhere. But still, there’s no substitute for the real thing. It is therefore important that one regularly visits his dentist to keep his teeth healthy and — hold your breath now — avoid being afflicted with viral diseases.

Recently, the Novel International Dental Implant Center (NIDIC), in partnership with the city government of Taguig and Jam Jali Enterprise, launched “Operation Ngiti” in Taguig City to enhance people’s awareness about proper oral hygiene and its value in sustaining good health and in maintaining that “close-up smile.”

“It is a fact that a great majority of our people know very little about the spread of viral diseases due to poor oral hygiene,” says Noel Velasco, NIDIC chairperson.

City nutrition officer Kaye Tiñga, wife of Taguig Mayor Freddie Tiñga, says more than 138,000 public elementary and high school students and teachers all over the city will benefit from the program aimed at improving the nutrition and health status of Taguig’s youth and academic community.

“Today’s youth have overlooked the importance of oral care in their overall well-being. More than achieving clean and white teeth, regular visits to the dentist mean we are also preventing the spread of viral diseases,” says Mrs. Tiñga.

Velasco says the mouth is basically a breeding ground to more than 60 million microorganisms, about 20 million of which are washed away each time we brush our teeth. The remaining 40 million microorganisms stay and they are normally harmless and can be likened to oral flora, but only for as long as we are healthy.

Velasco explains that the 40 million so-called harmless bacteria can become harmful and affect man’s well-being if he doesn’t pay much attention to oral care. This, he says, may lead to the weakening of our body resistance and ultimately, to various serious illnesses like high fever and even heart ailment.

Since the mouth is connected to the throat, allowing all microorganisms in it to go as far as they can, notes Velasco, a simple lesion anywhere in it can become serious, it being a favorite hangout of bacteria.

“All of a sudden, you will wake up one morning suffering from gingivitis (swelling of gums) and tonsillitis, which may lead to h-fever,” Velasco points out. “For all you know, tonsillitis can also cause rheumatic heart disease.”

He adds, “And take note: Since the mouth serves as the entry point to all the things that people take into their bodies, like food, drinks, and even cigarette smoke, brushing your teeth, gargling, and, more importantly, paying regular visits to your dentist are a must.”

For more information, call the Novel International Implant Center at 09158814135 or 376-5257.