Ocala, Fla. — Good oral health is a critical component of maintaining good physical health overall.

The mouth is full of bacteria. Most of the time, that bacteria is harmless. But since your mouth is the gateway to your digestive and respiratory systems, poor oral health can allow infectious bacteria to seep into your system. That bacteria can cause problems in the mouth like tooth decay and gum disease, but also creates a connection to conditions elsewhere in the body, like pneumonia, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, according to the American Dental Association.

October is National Dental Hygiene Month, and the Florida Department of Health in Marion County (DOH-Marion) seeks to encourage our community to adopt good dental hygiene practices to improve and maintain good health in the mouth and throughout the body.

Tooth decay and other common, related diseases are 100% preventable, and the Department offers the following advice to help keep your teeth and gums healthy and strong.

• Eliminate sugary drinks and snacks from your diet. Excessive consumption of foods such as soft drinks, sweet tea, dairy creamers, or candy can degrade the hard layer of enamel that protects your teeth.
• Brush twice a day for at least 2 minutes each time and combine that with daily flossing to ensure you clean the gums where brushing cannot reach. Such practices can defend against the growth of the slimy layer of germs called plaque, which combined with sugars can over time create cavities.
• Boost your diet with foods rich in minerals that are found in natural dairy products and vegetables.
• Make regular visits to the dentist and dental hygienist to prevent the spread of bacteria and decay during your lifetime. Children should be seen by a dentist as soon as they get their first tooth, which should be brushed daily too.
• Stop smoking. Smokers are up to seven times as likely to develop periodontitis, which is the inflammation of the bone and ligaments located around our teeth and which leads to tooth loss.
• For children, when permanent teeth begin to erupt, beginning as young as age 5, seek to have sealants applied to the chewing surfaces of teeth in the back of the mouth to prevent decay of those new permanent teeth.

DOH-Marion also can help you with dental care.

Our dental team provides care to students in Marion County schools through our school-based Sealant Teledentistry Program. In addition, the Department operates its own dental clinic. It is located at the College of Central Florida’s Hampton Center, 1501 W. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. Its hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The clinic provides a variety of diagnostic, restorative, and preventive care for both adults and children.

Those services include exams, X-rays, cleanings, fillings and more. The clinic accepts Medicaid, Medicare, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and many dental insurance plans. If you lack insurance, the clinic’s services are available for fees charged according to an income-based sliding scale.

Remember: You only get one set of teeth — take care of them so they can last a lifetime.

Find out more

To learn more about DOH-Marion’s dental services, call us at 352-622-2664, or visit marion.floridahealth.gov.  

About the Florida Department of Health

The Department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.