Your face, especially your teeth, is naturally the first thing people notice when they interact with you. So keeping your teeth healthy is important. After all, they are an asset to your body. With strong, healthy teeth, you can speak effectively, chew and bite food properly, smile confidently, and properly develop your facial structure. Unfortunately, even if you take good care of your dental hygiene, your teeth can sometimes suffer from dental problems, causing pain and discomfort. However, to be responsible for your oral health, you need to know about common dental problems, their causes, and ways to prevent them.
Five most common dental problems
Wisdom teeth are affected
Wisdom teeth, also called third molars, usually erupt between the ages of 18 and 24. In some cases, wisdom teeth can grow into normal teeth without causing any problems. Sometimes they get completely or partially stuck in the gums or jaw. This is called impaction. Many oral health issues such as cavities, gum disease, and infections can be caused by impacted wisdom teeth.
Dentists can diagnose this condition by taking an X-ray. While there’s a good chance you’ll need surgery to remove your wisdom teeth, depending on your symptoms, your oral surgeon may use a different method to treat the condition. A better idea for SF oral surgery is to visit https://sforalsurgery.com/ and get in touch with professionals and experienced professionals so they can help you with your oral health needs.
Decay
Another common oral health problem is tooth decay or tooth decay. It can happen to people of all ages. When a person eats too many sugary foods or carbohydrates, plaque builds up on the surface of the teeth and sticks to them. As the bad bacteria in your mouth feed on the sugar and starch content, the protective coating on your teeth, called enamel, slowly deteriorates. This leads to tooth decay. Because of cavities, you may have holes in your teeth.
Common symptoms of tooth decay include visible cavities, stains on the surface of the tooth, toothache, and severe pain when eating cold or sweet foods. Fluoride treatments, root canals, fillings, or dental crowns are common treatments for cavities.
Gum disease
As 2 in 5 people in the United States have gum disease, more commonly known as periodontal disease, its prevalence remains a major public health concern. And while everyone is at risk for this disease, the percentage is higher in the elderly.
The disease has two phases. Firstly, it starts with inflammation of the gums due to the buildup of dental plaque on the teeth. Remember that plaque formation is due to bacterial infection. This condition is gingivitis. The treatment for gingivitis is to practice good dental habits at home like avoiding sugar and starch content, flossing, brushing your teeth daily, etc.
Despite being a curable disease, it can progress to a more serious disease: periodontitis. There are different treatment options for this stage, depending on the severity; professional deep cleaning, antibiotics, or surgery. However, if periodontitis is left untreated, it can lead to permanent damage, including tooth loss. So pay attention to the symptoms: tender or swollen gums, bad breath, missing or lost teeth, receding gums, and bleeding gums when brushing or flossing.
Tooth Sensitivity
Do you feel discomfort or even pain when you eat something hot, cold, or sweet? Undoubtedly, it can be irritating as this condition prevents you from enjoying the basic pleasures of your life like eating or drinking something you enjoy. Or you may also experience the same discomfort and pain when brushing your teeth or flossing.
It is very likely that you have tooth sensitivity or dentin hypersensitivity. Tooth sensitivity occurs when the protective layer, enamel, is damaged. The hard protective layer, enamel, is responsible for protecting the crown. As a result, the soft layer, the dentin, is exposed. Many factors can contribute to enamel wear, including teeth grinding, cracked teeth, gum disease, brushing too hard, and more.
Treatment for tooth sensitivity can include home remedies such as improving oral hygiene, using a soft-bristled toothbrush, fluoride toothpaste, etc. However, in-office dental procedures may include dental veneers and veneers.
Canal infection
Another dental problem that can pose a serious risk to tooth structure is a root canal infection.
Your teeth are made up of different layers; the outer layer, the enamel, the inner layer, the dentin, and in the middle of the tooth, a set of tissues known as the pulp.
Root infection occurs when bacteria damage nerves and pulp tissue. These bacteria usually get into the root when you don’t clean your teeth well. As a result, the tooth begins to decay and deteriorate. However, the infection can still occur if you take good care of your teeth. For example, when your teeth come into direct contact with hard objects or suffer a fall or injury, your tooth can break. In addition, grinding your teeth can also cause cracking and expose bacteria in the pulp.
The dentist will treat the infection by performing a root canal procedure. It is usually a painless process as dentists use anesthesia during treatment.
Poor oral health doesn’t just negatively affect your teeth. You may also have problems with self-esteem, nutrition, and speech. Also, as bacteria can enter the body through the mouth, they can cause infections and other health problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, etc. Therefore, you need to take your oral and dental hygiene seriously to protect yourself from dental problems.
In addition, dental problems cannot always be avoided throughout life. Regular dental hygiene can reduce the risk of serious oral health problems. So brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing your teeth, eating a healthy diet, and having regular dental checkups will be the best way to prevent common dental problems.
