What’s your oral lifestyle?

Nikki Natividad

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What’s your oral lifestyle?
When you’re on your third cup of coffee or take soft drinks with every other meal, do you know how it affects your mouth? 

MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos have very distinct characteristics and mannerisms, as well as a unique fervor for food. They’re known for pointing with their lips, drinking soda from a plastic bag, dipping pan de sal in instant coffee, and their love for balut. They eat rice with every major meal, three times a day, everyday, and their love for rice even extends to sweet, sticky rice desserts like champorado, suman, biko, and tibok-tibok.

The Filipino is certainly a hearty eater, but what with all the carbs and sugar they consume in their daily diet, compounded by bad habits like chain smoking, it’s no surprise that 9 in 10 Filipinos suffer from tooth decay. 

Your everyday indulgences have a bearing on your health, both physical and oral. Your mouth, being the portal to your body, is affected by your diet and your oral practices. But because eating and drinking are so commonplace, the average Filipino tends to get lax when it comes to oral health. But it’s not just the explicitly harmful things like tobacco that can harm your mouth, but also your daily sugar consumption, and oral fixations. How many times a day do you snack? Do you chew on ice often? Do you eat fruits daily? 

Compounded by habit, these little things might be causing your toothache. So being aware of your oral lifestyle is important for you to protect your body. It’s not just about adjusting your diet, but also making the necessary precautions to step up your oral hygiene. Don’t just brush your teeth, floss too, and cap off your routine with mouthwash. 

So, what’s your oral lifestyle? Check out this infographic to see what daily practices may be harmful to your mouth. — Rappler.com 


 

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