Final answer:
Oral hygiene refers to the maintenance of healthy teeth and fresh breath, including practices such as regular dental cleanings, reduced sugar consumption, and daily brushing and flossing with fluoride toothpaste.
Step-by-step explanation:
Maintaining healthy teeth and keeping the breath fresh is known as oral hygiene. This practice includes regular dental cleanings to detect decay early on and remove tartar. Additionally, it encompasses reducing sugar intake and perhaps using sugarless candies or gum containing sugar alcohols like xylitol, which do not produce acids when fermented by mouth microbes. Fluoride treatments are also a critical part of oral hygiene since fluoride strengthens the minerals in teeth and slows the process of dental decay.
Good oral hygiene practices also involve daily tooth brushing and flossing to remove microbes, using toothpaste with fluoride for enamel protection, and antiseptic mouthwashes to combat microbial presence. The saliva, secreted by salivary glands, plays a vital role in dental health by cleaning the teeth and providing antibodies against infection. Moreover, a healthy mouth influences overall health, and poor oral health can lead to various complications, including malnutrition, especially in the elderly or those with serious illnesses.
Therefore, the correct answer is b. oral hygiene.