For maintaining good general health, good oral hygiene is very important. Nature gave some instinct to all animals for that. Man, since his existence, has been ‘aware’ of maintaining oral hygiene. Avoiding dental infections was most important for ancient man to avoid malnutrition and eventual death. Initially, man managed it through his instinctual dietary habits. Later the nature of diet and dietary habits changed and it was needed to practice some extra measures. A protocol for good oral hygiene changed from just dietary measures to chewing various materials and use of early dentifrices to modern toothbrushes, modern dentifrices, and other measures including professional intervention. Oral hygiene is more important during some specific situations in life, for example, pregnancy and certain sickness.
Part of the book: Dental Caries