Dental care for Common Dental disease

Updated: June 16, 2022

You need to take care of your teeth and mouth irrespective of your age. You can easily eat the foods you need for good nutrition if your mouth is healthy.
Smiling, talking and laughing with others also are easier when your mouth is healthy. The various oral condition include:

Cavities or Tooth Decay:

By taking good care of your teeth and gums, you can protect them for years as they are  meant to last a lifetime. Cavities are not just a problem for children, but it can happen as long as you have natural teeth in your mouth.
Cavities can damage the enamel that covers and protects your teeth. When you don’t take good care of your mouth, bacteria can cling to your teeth and develop a sticky, colorless film called dental plaque. This plaque can lead to tooth decay and cavities. Gum disease can also cause your teeth to decay.
Using a fluoride toothpaste and mouth rinse can help protect your teeth.  If you have a problem with cavities, a fluoride treatment will be given by your dentist.The dentist also may prescribe a fluoride gel or mouth rinse for you to use at home.

Gum Diseases:

Gum diseases known as periodontal or gingival diseases are infections that harm the gum and bone that hold teeth in place.

Gingivitis:

When plaque stays on your teeth for too long, it forms a hard, harmful covering, called tartar, that brushing does't clean. The longer the plaque and tartar stay on your teeth, the more damage they cause. Your gums may become red, swollen and bleed easily causing gingivitis.

Periodontitis:

If gingivitis is left untreated, over time it can make your gums pull away from your teeth and pockets are developed that can get infected causing periodontitis. If not treated, this infection can damage the bones, gums and tissue that support your teeth. This will result you to loose teeth that your dentist may have to remove.

Prevention of gum disease:

Tips to prevent gum disease:

• Brush your teeth twice a day (with a fluoride toothpaste)
• Clean your teeth and gums
• Floss once a day
• Eat a well-balanced diet
• Don’t use tobacco products
• Make regular visits to your dentist for a checkup and cleaning

The right way to  brush and floss:

Gently brush your teeth on all sides with a soft-bristle brush and fluoride toothpaste twice a day. Small round motions and short back-and-forth strokes work best. Take the time to brush carefully and gently along the gum line. Lightly brushing your tongue also helps.
To keep your gums healthy, clean around your teeth with dental floss along with brushing.  Plaque and leftover food that a toothbrush can't reach can be removed by careful flossing.
Visit your dentist if  brushing or flossing causes your gums to bleed or hurt your mouth. You may be may prescribed a bacteria fighting mouth rinse to help control plaque and swollen gums. Use the mouth rinse in addition to careful daily brushing and flossing.

Dentures or False teeth:

Dentures known as false teeth may feel strange at first. When you have this, it may be easier if you:

•     Start with soft non-sticky food
•     Cut your food into small pieces
•     Chew slowly using both sides of your mouth

Keep your dentures clean and free from food that can cause stains, bad breath, or swollen gums.  Brush all surfaces with a denture care product once a day.  Take your dentures out of your mouth when you go to sleep and put them in water or a denture cleansing liquid.

Dental Implants :

Small metal pieces placed in the jaw to hold false teeth or partial dentures in place are called dental implants. If you need an implant, your gums must be healthy and your jawbone should be strong enough to support the implants.

Dry Mouth :

When salivary glands don't work properly, you have dry mouth. This can make hard to eat, swallow, taste, and even speak. Dry mouth can also cause tooth decay and infection. Dry mouth can happen as a result of many diseases or medical treatments, such as head and neck radiation therapy. Many common medicines also can cause dry mouth. If this is the case, you might have to change your medicine or dosage.

To prevent the dryness, drink extra water and cut down sugary snacks, drinks that have caffeine or alcohol, and tobacco.

Oral Cancer:

The probable signs of oral cancer could be trouble with swelling, numbness, sores or lumps in  your mouth, or if it becomes hard for you to chew, swallow, or move your jaw or tongue. Early detection of the disease is important as the treatment works best before the disease has spread. 

You can lower your risk of getting oral cancer if you:

• don't smoke
• don't use snuff or chew tobacco
• eat lots of fruits and vegetables
• use lip cream with sunscreen