The Importance of Oral Health in Human Life

The Importance of Oral Health and Tooth Whiteness in Human Life Tooth decay and periodontal diseases are significant public health problems in many countries around the world. For this reason, the protection of oral and dental health is a subject that should be prioritized from childhood onwards. The importance of oral and dental health is particularly significant because the mouth is the beginning of the digestive system. Since teeth break down food and send it to the stomach, missing, unhealthy, diseased or decayed teeth disrupt the digestive process. People with oral health and dental disease problems often fail to chew food sufficiently before it passes quickly into the stomach, which can lead to future digestive system and stomach problems. Deterioration of dental health can also affect other organs in the body. Teeth can become a constant source of infection that adversely affects almost all bodily systems and can cause infections that lead to serious health problems in the heart, kidneys, joints and other structures. For this reason, dental health is very important for individuals. After dental treatment, the restoration of oral flora and the patient's intake of necessary vitamin and antioxidant compounds are of great importance. Otherwise, the healing period following the treatment will be prolonged and the potential for the disease to recur will increase. Tooth loss resulting from the deterioration of dental health can directly cause problems in speech and pronunciation of words. Additionally, it makes chewing and swallowing difficult and causes problems for our gums and all organs in our oral structure due to bacterial formation on our teeth. There should be no deficiency of vitamins C, A and D necessary for gum health and dental health and strength. Milk, dairy products and fresh fruits are particularly beneficial. However, sometimes the desired level of vitamins cannot be obtained through diet alone. In this case, resorting to supplementary tablets is unavoidable. Vitamins and minerals are substances required for the development, growth and healthy functioning of our body and are not produced by the body itself. It is beneficial to address vitamins and minerals together, especially because they may require each other. Vitamins are extremely important for our body and each vitamin has many functions. Vitamin C is important for gum health. In its deficiency, swelling and bleeding of the gums may occur. In B1 vitamin deficiency, a burning sensation on the tongue, taste disturbances and sensitivity in the oral mucosa are observed. In B2 vitamin deficiency, the tongue surface is bumpy and presents a map-like appearance. Moreover, with the increased aesthetic expectations of people in today's world, whitening treatment has become important. Tooth discoloration can cause aesthetic problems and consequently psychological and social problems. Psychological studies have also shown that individuals with white tooth color are more confident and receive greater appreciation from society. Individuals whose tooth color is not normal white are negatively affected psychologically and socially. To eliminate this problem, dentists frequently perform tooth whitening procedures to prevent tooth discoloration. Tooth discoloration is divided into two categories: external and internal discoloration. External discoloration results from plaque and tartar caused by inadequate oral hygiene, consumption of beverages and foods containing tea/coffee/dyes, bacteria in the mouth and smoking. Internal discoloration is generally seen in non-vital or devitalized teeth and root-treated teeth, in certain genetic diseases, in the consumption of fluoridated water and as a result of certain medication use. Whitening treatment effectively removes tooth discoloration. In tooth whitening treatments, agents of various concentrations are used with different techniques. With the development of modern life, as in all fields, individuals' expectations regarding aesthetics and beauty have increased. Tooth whitening is quite different from the polishing procedure performed after tartar cleaning. In tooth whitening, the tooth's own color tone can be lightened by 2-3 shades. Tooth whitening performed by a dentist in an office setting is called office bleaching. However, most tooth whitening procedures are quite costly and when applied repeatedly have the potential to damage tooth enamel. With tooth whitening pens developed in recent years, patients can perform tooth whitening at home as they would with a toothbrush. We are developing projects on tooth whiteness and oral health at Anatolia Botanics, an incubation company located within Yıldız Teknopark, Turkey's largest technology park. We are working on supplementary formulations to be used after dental treatment, which help patients regain their health quickly and accelerate the healing process. Additionally, in another project we are working on special formulations that are effective in tooth whitening and do not contain harmful chemicals. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ömer Tahir Günkara Yıldız Technical University Department of Chemistry – Faculty Member Anatolia Botanics – Founding Partner