Let’s face it, who doesn’t enjoy a radiant smile, strong teeth, and clean breath?
It is natural that your face, specifically your teeth, is the first thing people notice when you interact. So maintaining healthy teeth is vital. After all, they are an asset to your body. Because of strong and healthy teeth, you can speak effectively, chew and bite food properly, smile confidently, and develop your face structure appropriately.
Unfortunately, even if you take good care of your dental hygiene, your teeth may sometimes suffer dental issues, leading to pain and discomfort. Nevertheless, to be in charge of your oral and dental health, you must be aware of common dental problems, their causes, and ways to prevent them.
The article below discusses the five most common dental issues and how to handle them:
Impacted wisdom teeth
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, usually erupt between the age of 18 to 24. In certain cases, wisdom teeth might erupt with your normal teeth without causing any issues. Sometimes they get caught entirely or partially in your gums or jawbone. This is known as impaction. Many oral health issues, such as cavities, gum disease, and infection, can be brought on by impacted wisdom teeth.
Dentists can identify this condition by taking an X-ray. While there is a high possibility that you need wisdom teeth removal surgery, depending on the symptoms, the oral surgeon may adopt a different approach to treat the condition. A better idea for SF Oral Surgery is to visit https://sforalsurgery.com/ and get in touch with knowledgeable and experienced professionals so they can assist you with your dental health requirements.
Tooth decay
Tooth decay or cavities is another common dental health problem. It can happen to people of all ages. When a person consumes a high amount of sugary foods or carbohydrates, plaque accumulates on the teeth’s surface and sticks to it. Since the bad bacteria in your mouth is feeding on sugar and starch content, the protective layer on your teeth, called enamel, slowly deteriorates. It leads to tooth decay. Because of the cavities, you might even have holes in your teeth.
Common symptoms of tooth decay include visible holes, stains on the surface of the tooth, toothache, and sharp pain when consuming something cold or sweet. Flouride treatments, root canals, fillings, or dental crowns are some common treatments for cavities.
Gum disease
Since 2 in 5 people in the United States have gum disease, better known as periodontal disease, its prevalence continues to be a significant public health issue. And while everyone is at risk of this disease, the percentage is more in adults.
The disease has two stages. First, it starts with gum inflammation due to plaque accumulation in the teeth. Note that the accumulation of plaque is because of bacterial infection. This condition is Gingivitis. The treatment for Gingivitis is practicing good at-home dental habits, such as avoiding sugar and starch content, flossing, brushing daily, etc.
Although it is a curable condition, it can develop into a more severe disease – periodontitis. Different treatment options exist for this stage, depending on the severity; professional deep cleaning, antibiotics, or surgery. However, if periodontitis is left untreated, it may result in permanent damage, such as tooth loss. Therefore, pay attention to the symptoms: tender or swollen gums, bad breath, losing or shifting teeth, receding gums, and bleeding gums during brush or flossing.
Tooth Sensitivity
Do you feel discomfort or even pain when you consume something hot, cold, or sweet? No doubt, it can be annoying since this condition stops you from enjoying the basic pleasures of your life, like eating or drinking something you love. Or you might even feel the same discomfort and pain while brushing or flossing.
There is a high possibility that you might have tooth sensitivity or dentin hypersensitivity. Tooth Sensitivity occurs when the protective layer, enamel, wears down. The hard protective layer, the enamel, is responsible for protecting the crown. As a result, the soft layer, dentin, becomes exposed. Many factors may contribute to enamel wearing down, including teeth grinding, cracked teeth, gum disease, brushing too hard, etc.
Treating teeth sensitivity may include at-home remedies, such as improving oral hygiene, using a soft-bristled brush, fluoride toothpaste, etc. However, the in-office dental procedure may include dental varnishes and coatings.
Root canal infection
Another dental problem that can pose a serious risk to the structure of your tooth is root canal infection.
Your teeth consist of different layers; the outer layer, enamel, the inner layer, dentin, and at the center of a tooth, a collection of tissues known as pulp.
Root infection occurs when bacteria damage the pulp nerves and tissue. These bacteria usually seep into the root when you fail to clean your teeth properly. As a result, the tooth starts to break down and decay. However, the infection can still develop if you take good care of your teeth. For example, when your teeth come in direct contact with hard objects or suffer from falls or injuries, your tooth may crack. In addition, grinding your teeth may also cause cracks and give exposure to bacteria in the pulp.
The dentist will treat the infection by performing a root canal procedure. It is usually a painless process since dentists use anesthesia during treatment.
Key takeaways
Poor dental health not only negatively impacts your teeth. You may also experience problems with your self-esteem, nutrition, and speech. In addition, since bacteria can enter the body via our mouth, they can cause infections and other health issues such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis, etc. Therefore, you must take your dental and oral hygiene seriously to protect yourself from dental problems.
Additionally, you can’t always avoid dental problems throughout your life. Regular dental hygiene can lower your risk of serious oral health issues. Thus, brushing your teeth twice daily, flossing, eating a healthy diet, and going for regular dental check-ups would be the best way to prevent yourself from common dental problems.
If you have yet to find a dentist, a quick Google search for phrases like “dentist near me kiln creek” should provide some options.