Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight program. I’m Joshua Leo.
Voice 2
And I’m Rebekah Schipper.
In 2005 scientists found eleven [11] ancient teeth in Pakistan. They believe the teeth are nine thousand [9,000] years old. The teeth have strange holes in them. The scientists could see that the people had made the holes using their ancient tools.
Voice 1
The scientists do not understand completely why the people would dig small holes into their teeth. But they believe that the ancient people may have been doing it for their health!
Voice 2
Have you ever looked closely at your teeth? How do they look? Are they clean? Do they look healthy? Does the skin around your teeth, your gums, look healthy?
Voice 1
Our teeth have something to say to us. They tell us about our health! So, look at your teeth. What are your teeth telling you?
Voice 2
Today’s Spotlight is on the importance of keeping our teeth clean!
Voice 1
Today, more and more people are learning about the importance of having a clean mouth and teeth. When we eat, our teeth can collect food. If we do not clean our teeth, the food collects between them. This food can start to rot, or go bad. Soon the food starts to create bacteria. Bacteria can destroy our teeth and our gums, the skin surrounding our teeth. This can cause a lot of pain. Bacteria may change the colour of teeth. Some people’s teeth can turn yellow or black. Other people can even start to lose their teeth! And gums can become painful and bleed. Having bad teeth can reduce quality of life.
Voice 2
But having bad teeth and gums may show even bigger problems. According to the Mayo Clinic, leaders in health care, our mouths are like a window. They show what is happening on the inside of our bodies. In fact, having sore gums and bad teeth may be signs of other, more serious, health problems.
Voice 1
Dentists, teeth doctors, say that our mouths can show early signs of many different diseases. A systemic disease is a disease that affects the whole body, not just one part. Doctors and dentists agree that ninety [90] percent of systemic diseases show their first signs in the mouth. But, that means that the rest of the body is suffering too. For example, diseases like AIDS and diabetes can produce painful open sores in the mouth. The sores cause the gums to bleed. But AIDS and diabetes do not just affect our mouths. They affect the whole body.
Voice 2
It is true that diseases can show signs in our mouths. But it is also true that not caring for our teeth and gums may cause disease too. When we do not care for our teeth and gums a substance called plaque can collect there. It builds up along your teeth and gums. The plaque creates harmful bacteria. It creates a gum disease called gingivitis.
Voice 1
Plaque can cause your teeth to fall out. But, plaque can also cause heart disease, preterm births, and uncontrolled diabetes.
Voice 2
First, the bacteria from plaque can enter the blood. Then the blood carries the bacteria throughout the body. The bacteria can cause the arteries, tubes that carry blood to the heart, to grow fat. They become blocked. Blood cannot easily pass through the body to the heart. This can lead to serious conditions like heart disease, strokes, and heart attacks.
Voice 1
Second, plaque in the blood can also harm unborn babies. Plaque creates toxins or poison in a mother’s blood. These toxins can pass to the baby. They can prevent the baby from developing. The toxins also cause a woman’s body to push the baby out. This results in a preterm birth; the baby is born early.
Voice 2
And finally, people with diabetes must control the amount of sugar they take into their bodies. But plaque from gum disease causes an infection in the blood. This infection makes it hard for a person with diabetes to control their blood sugar.
Voice 1
Caring for your teeth and gums every day can help prevent many of these diseases. And repeatedly looking inside your mouth may help you identify a systemic disease early, like AIDS or diabetes. The earlier you can identify a disease, the better.
Voice 2
So, how can you care for your teeth and gums? Well, caring for your teeth and gums is easy. There are many different ways that you can care for your teeth. In fact, people around the world take care of their teeth in different ways.
Voice 1
In many places people use a toothbrush and toothpaste. Toothpaste is a substance that can help kill bacteria. It reduces plaque that causes disease. It contains a chemical called fluoride. Flouride helps make your teeth strong. Rubbing the toothpaste across your teeth with a toothbrush is a good way to protect your teeth and gums.
Voice 2
Some people like to use liquid mouthwash to clean their mouths. Mouthwash is similar to toothpaste in the way it helps to kill plaque and bacteria. People put a small amount of mouthwash into their mouths. They move it around so it touches all of their teeth. They do not swallow any of it. They spit it all out when they are through washing.
Voice 1
Dental floss is another good way to clean between your teeth. It is a small, very thin rope. People slide the floss between each and every tooth. This helps to remove any food that may be caught between the teeth. It helps to pull away plaque that has collected around the teeth.
Voice 2
There are some people in the world who do not have toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, or floss. So, how do these people clean their teeth? Well, they use small sticks from trees!
Voice 1
That’s right! People prepare the sticks by cleaning the wood, removing the tree bark, and cutting them to a usable size. People put the sticks in their mouths and bite down on them. Soon the end of the stick becomes soft and separated. The stick releases chemicals into the mouth. These chemicals kill bacteria in the mouth. People from different parts of the world use different kinds of tree sticks. Dr. Christine Wu is a dentist. She explains how the sticks help peoples’ teeth.
Voice 3
“We know that in plants there are all kinds of properties and chemicals that can kill germs, fungi, and viruses. And perhaps some are released from these chewing sticks that can kill bacteria. This stops people from having bad breath, gum disease, and cavities, or holes in the teeth.”
Voice 2
Taking care of your teeth is very important. Caring for your teeth could help you to identify a disease early. Caring for your teeth could even prevent disease! Remember to care for your teeth each and every day.
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