Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping your mouth clean and disease-free. It involves brushing and flossing teeth as well as visiting dentist regularly for dental X-rays, exams and cleanings.
Oral hygiene is preventative care. This means you can stop oral health problems — such as cavities, gum disease, bad breath (halitosis) and other issues — before they start by taking good care of your teeth and gums.
Oral health is also linked to whole-body health. For example, if an infection is present in mouth, bloodstream can carry the bacteria to other areas of body, leading to other health concerns like heart disease and stroke. Keeping teeth and gums healthy is an important part of long-lasting overall health.
