Mouth Disease

General mouth conditions

General poor oral hygiene

• Teeth are dirty and mouth looks and smells unhealthy
• Around teeth there is debris, plaque, tartar
• Gum hurt and bleeds when flossed or brushed and teeth are loose
• Bad breath

B) Does one have excessive:

Decay (Dental caries)

• Dental caries develops when bacteria in the mouth metabolise/uses sugars to produce acid that demineralises the hard tissues of the teeth (i.e. the enamel and dentine) causing a  loss of calcium and phosphate.

Plaque

• It is soft, colourless and difficult to see.
• It is caused by bacteria and when it builds up it can cause tooth decay and gum disease.
• When we consume sugary, starchy foods and sodas, the bacteria formed in our mouth is called Streptococcus mutans.
  • Streptococcus mutans is the cavity causing bacteria. Colonies of bacteria together with food debris and saliva form a sticky substance called plaque.

Tartar

• Formed when plaque combines with saliva and bacteria making it hard and brown colour appearance.
  • These bacteria trapped inside the plaque produce acids that lead to formation of cavities.
  • The greater duration the plaque stays in contact with the teeth the more is the damage.
  • Over a period of time this plaque gets converted to tartar which has acid producing bacteria trapped in its body causing damage to the teeth on the inside.
  • Thus it is very important to cleanse your teeth and rinse after every meal to remove the plaque formed on the tooth surface.
  • A hygienist/dentist is needed to remove it.

Cavities

• Plaque produces acid when in contact with sugary and starchy foods causing the breakdown of enamel (enamel is the outer part of the tooth and is the hardest part of our body) causing holes in our teeth.
• The tooth has an outer strong layer of enamel and inner layer of dentin.
• When the tooth is attacked with acid, the enamel layer protects from the acids penetrating deeper into the tooth.
• But if the sugar consumption continues without any maintenance of the teeth, a cavity formation starts as small. When the cavity begins to form, it is so small and virtually invisible to the eye.
• Eventually on the longer run as the acid is allowed to remain on the teeth, the cavity spot becomes a hole.
• The balance between acid production and prevention is what decides the cavity formation.
• Dental treatment is required to fill and repair the tooth (‘fillings’). If left untreated bacteria will kill the nerves in our tooth, as well as destroying the tooth itself causing an abscess.

Periodontal disease

• Also known as gum disease, periodontal disease is caused by bacteria in dental plaque.
• To eliminate the bacteria, the immune system releases substances that cause inflammation, resulting in swollen and bleeding gums .
• If left untreated, periodontal disease can lead to bad breath, wobbly teeth and, ultimately, loss of teeth.

Bad Breath (Halitosis)

• Strong smell foods e.g. onions
• A signal of gum disease

Sensitive Teeth

• Occurs when the enamel (outer part of tooth) that covers when the crown (the bit of tooth we can see) becomes worn away, leaving the root and nerves exposed to hot, cold and sweet foods.
• Denture wearer?
• Has one had any injury of any sort in the mouth?
  • Biting the area?
  • Sharp teeth damaging the area?
  • Rubbing dentures?
  • Rubbing braces?
  • Eating sharp food?
  • Excess chewing on food?
  • Heat or thermal burns?
  • Tooth surgery?
  • History of gum infection?