Taking care of your mouth is crucial because oral health connects to your overall health. Habits like smoking, excessive drinking, and too much sugar can harm your mouth and your body. When your mouth isn't healthy, it can affect your daily life, causing pain, trouble concentrating, and social isolation. This can also have financial and quality-of-life consequences. So, prioritize oral health along with your general well-being.
Oral diseases are a significant global concern, affecting a staggering 3.5 billion individuals. These conditions, which encompass issues like tooth decay, bring about considerable pain, discomfort, and can even lead to disfigurement or, in severe cases, death.
What makes the situation even more challenging is that treating oral health problems often comes with a hefty price tag, and these expenses are usually not covered by universal health coverage plans. This creates a barrier to accessing essential dental care for many people.
Moreover, in many low- and middle-income countries, the availability of comprehensive oral health services remains limited. This means that a large portion of the population in these regions lacks access to preventive and treatment services.
The root causes of oral diseases are closely tied to risk factors that are common to numerous noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). These factors include excessive sugar consumption, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and poor oral hygiene. Beyond individual behaviors, social and commercial determinants play a significant role in shaping the prevalence of these risk factors.
Common Dental Problems
1.Tooth decay, or dental cavities, occurs when harmful bacteria on your teeth form a sticky film called plaque. These bacteria feed on sugars, producing acids that damage your tooth's outer layer (enamel) and the softer layer beneath (dentin). This leads to cavities, causing toothaches, bad breath, and dark spots on teeth.
Dentists can treat it with fillings, crowns, or root canals. Severe cases may require tooth extraction, followed by dental implants or dentures. Prevent tooth decay by brushing twice daily, flossing, and regular dental checkups to remove plaque and maintain oral health.
2.Gum disease
1. Gingivitis: Early stage with red, swollen, bleeding gums, bad breath, and tooth sensitivity. Caused by plaque, worsened by poor oral care, crooked teeth, smoking, pregnancy, or diabetes. Treated with dental cleaning, prevention with daily brushing and flossing.
2. Periodontitis: Severe stage if gingivitis isn't treated. Damages gum pockets, bone, and teeth support, causing receding gums, loose teeth, bite changes, bad taste, and chronic bad breath. May lead to body-wide inflammation. Treatment includes antibiotics or seeing a gum disease specialist, a periodontist.
3.Sensitive Teeth: occur when tooth enamel wears away, exposing dentin with nerve tubes, causing pain from hot or cold substances. Causes include tooth decay, gum disease, root infection, cracks, worn-down crowns/fillings, enamel erosion, or thin enamel. Treatments include special toothpaste/mouthwash, fluoride, crowns, gum grafts, or root canals, depending on severity.
4.Bad breath,
medically referred to as halitosis, represents a prevalent and distressing dental concern. Various factors contribute to its occurrence, encompassing:
1. Poor oral hygiene: Inadequate dental care fosters bacterial growth leading to odor.
2. Dry mouth: Reduced saliva flow allows bacteria to proliferate.
3. Medication: Certain drugs may induce halitosis as a side effect.
4. Infection: Oral infections can produce foul-smelling breath.
5. Acid reflux: Gastric acid regurgitation can result in malodorous breath.
6. Cancer: Some cancers, especially in the oral or throat regions, can be associated with halitosis.
7. Dietary factors: Consumption of foods rich in strong-smelling compounds, like garlic and onions, can contribute.
Due to the multifaceted causes, dentists conduct comprehensive assessments to tailor appropriate treatment plans for individual cases.
5.Cracked or broken teeth
primarily result from:
1. Injury
2. Chewing hard foods
3. Mouth piercings
4. Teeth grinding during sleep
These dental issues can cause varying degrees of pain and should be promptly assessed by a dentist. Treatment options include veneers, crowns, or tooth-colored fillings, depending on the extent of damage.
6.Receding gums
Poses both dental and potential severe complications, like tooth loss, as they expose tooth roots to vulnerability. Contributing factors encompass:
1. Poor oral hygiene
2. Aggressive tooth brushing
3. High blood pressure
4. Hormonal fluctuations in women
5. Smoking
6. Genetic predisposition
Dental care for receding gums entails professional teeth cleaning and guidance on proper brushing techniques. Severe cases may necessitate gum grafting or surgical intervention to address the condition effectively.
7.Dry mouth
known as xerostomia, can affect anyone, although it's more prevalent among the elderly. Causes include cancer treatments, salivary gland disease, nerve damage, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and certain medications. Alleviation involves frequent water consumption and avoiding drying substances like alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, and sweets.
8.Teeth Grinding
termed bruxism, typically occurs during sleep but can happen while awake, potentially causing tooth damage, jaw pain, headaches, and earaches. Dental factors contributing to bruxism encompass:
1. New fillings or crowns that alter tooth height
2. Abnormal bite
3. Stress, anxiety, or underlying sleep disorders
Addressing these root causes may mitigate or eliminate grinding. Dentists can provide custom-made night mouthguards to reduce grinding, protect teeth, and correct bite issues.
By Andrew Anongu, DailyHealth
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