Modern work and lifestyle trends are to blame for this increase in dental health damage. According to a survey, office workers have a much higher risk than other occupations. Many office workers skip brushing their teeth regularly as the need to rush to work. When they do brush, 88% do not brush for the recommended two minutes. Also in this survey, 40% report that they prefer having a snack than have a proper meal. This habit of frequent snacking is damaging to the teeth as they prevent the mouth’s pH level from establishing and the teeth are exposed to acids from foods more often.
Most common dental diseases
Here are a run down of the most common dental diseases and their symptoms:
Dental cavities
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), most grownups have experienced dental cavities, or caries, once in their life. Caries are caused mainly by the buildup of plaque on teeth, which produces acid that destroys the tooth enamel.
Gum diseases
Adults can have gum diseases to a varied degree, from swelling, light bleeding to complete tooth loss. Most gum diseases started as gingivitis (swollen gum) caused by plague. These plague are the breeding environment for bacteria, thus irritate the soft tissue along the gum line. This can result in loosen tooth as the gum gradually recede from the tooth and eventually lead to gum lost. If gum infection occurs, antibiotic treatment is needed.
Infectious diseases
The most commonly diagnosed infectious oral diseases are herpes, which occurs in patients exposed to herpes simplex virus. In patients with HIV, fungal and viral infections are often diagnosed. These infections cause cold sores and fever blisters on the lips, under the tongue and in the soft tissues inside your cheeks. Be careful if you have these infections, as they are quite contagious when in contact with others.
Injury and trauma
Although they are not technically a disease, up to 40% of children have experienced injuries or trauma growing up worldwide, according to WHO report. These injuries can come from unsafe conditions, accidents and violence.
Oral cancer
The number of oral cancer cases are increasing each year, according to Oral Cancer Foundation report. The best way diagnose cancer is to have regular check-ups because oral cancer don’t have clear signs and symptoms in their early stages.
Treatments for oral diseases
When it come to oral disease, prevention is the best method. However, if you happen to have these conditions, it is not without hope.
Tooth cavities
To prevent caries, you should brush your teeth frequently. Also, remember to floss to get the enamel between your teeth that brushing has missed. Get a dental check with your dentist at least twice a year to clean out any plague that dental care at home could not get rid of. If you have carries, the usual treatment is to get a filling. However, if the tooth is badly damaged, your dentist might advise you to remove the tooth or cover it up with a dental crown.
Gum diseases
If your dentist finds gum infections, they might recommend root planting and scaling. This treatment will give the teeth a deep cleaning to remove any plague from them. During the process of scaling, your dentist will scrape the plague and tartar off your teeth, both above and below the gum line. Afterwards, they will remove any rough spots on the root to prevent bacteria from accumulating, allowing the gum to attach itself to the tooth after cleaning.
Infectious diseases
Controlling the cold sore and blisters from its early stage can prevent them from developing too large or spreading to other part of the mouth. As soon as you find out a sore, take OTC pain killer and mouth rinse to sooth your sores while your immune system heals it.
Injury and trauma
Most dental injuries happen is while playing sports. Thus, you should wear a mouth guard while playing sports to prevent injury. If injury happens, get medical care immediately. If a tooth gets knocked out, don’t panic. It is possible to re-implant the teeth in its socket within the first 30 minutes to up to 2 hours since the accident. Meanwhile, take good care of the socket by rinsing with water and get to the dentist as quick as you can.
Oral cancer
Until now, the treatment for oral cancer is to remove the infected part, then use radiation and chemotherapy to treat any cancer cell leftover or prevent it from malignant.
Oral diseases can be prevented if you have a good dental hygiene. Of course, if you have any oral problem, it is best to see a dentist to get it diagnosed and get the right treatment.
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