Common Mouth Diseases
Proper dental hygiene is important not just for the strength of your teeth but also for your overall physical and mental health. When neglected, poor dental hygiene can cause a number of unpleasant mouth diseases. In this week’s blog, we share the most common mouth diseases and how to prevent them.
1) Dental Cavities
The most common oral problem are dental cavities. Dental cavities are caused by the buildup of plaque on the teeth, which produces acid, destroying the enamel. The World Health Organisation calculates that approximately 60 to 90 percent of school children and almost all adults have or have had a dental cavity. Yet dental cavities can easily be avoided by brushing and flossing daily. Regular dental check-ups are also essential to remove the bacteria on teeth before it hardens into tartar. If your cavity is particularly bad, your dentist may choose to remove or cover it with a crown.
2) Gum Disease
From mildly swollen to bleeding gums to complete tooth loss, there are several different types of gum diseases. Typically, gum diseases arise from gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums caused by bacteria found in dental plaque. This prompts the gums to recede from the teeth which can lead to tooth loss or additional gum infection. If it reaches this stage, you will need to get root planning and scaling, a professional deep-cleaning treatment to remove all plaque. In this procedure, the practitioner will scrape off plaque and tartar from teeth before smoothing rough spots on the root of teeth where bacteria builds up, allowing your gums to reattach to teeth once the surface is clean again.
3) Infectious Diseases
This is widely referred to as oral herpes and can occur if you have been exposed to the herpes simplex virus. It will initially appear as cold sores and fever blisters on lips, under the tongue and in the soft tissues of your cheeks. Avoid oral contact with others as these infectious diseases can be contagious. The key is to take action early with antiviral medication to prevent the disease developing completely. At the first sight of a sore, take over-the-counter painkillers and a soothing mouth rinse.
4) Oral Cancers
Oral cancers are a painful form of cancer, which occur on the tongue, lips and floor of the mouth but can also develop in the tonsils, cheeks, gum, roof of mouth and salivary glands. Regular dental checkups are key to detection as there are typically no clear signs or symptoms in the early stages. Most oral cancers are treated by removing affected areas of the mouth and then following this with radiation and chemotherapy if required.
The best way to prevent and detect mouth diseases is by going to the dentist. At Eden Rise Dental, we offer expert and affordable dental services. Call us at (03) 9702 611 to book an appointment today.