According to the World Health Organization (WHO) reports, more than 3.5 billion people experience oral diseases globally. These diseases that could impact your health include oral cancer, bruxism, tooth abscess , periodontal disease, and dental cavities. The good news is that most of these oral diseases can be treated by a local dentist near you.
Scheduling an appointment with your local dentist offers you a chance to ensure that your dental health is in a good state. Prevention is always better than cure. Regular dental visits can help spot things early or prevent oral diseases from occurring.
By understanding the causes and prevention strategies for each of these five oral diseases, you are one step ahead of avoiding these oral problems and improving not only your dental health but your overall well-being. Without further ado, here are the five oral diseases that your local dentist in Murfreesboro TN can help to prevent or treat.
Dental cavities
Cavities are permanently destroyed areas around or in the surface of your teeth that lead to the formation of tiny holes. It occurs as a result of the process that generally dissolves the enamel (hard outer surface) and continues toward the interior parts. There are different causes of dental cavities, including poor oral hygiene, taking a lot of sugary drinks and bacteria in your mouth.
As a patient, you may not know that a dental cavity is forming. That’s why it is crucial to visit a local dentist near you for regular dental cleanings and checkups, even when your mouth feels good. If dental cavities are not treated properly, they can get larger and impact the deep layers of your teeth. So, if you have mouth pain or toothache, you need to see your dentist as soon as possible.
Periodontitis (Gum Disease)
Another common oral disease patients experience is periodontitis. Periodontal disease impacts the tissues that support and surround the teeth. The disease can be characterized by swollen or bleeding gums (gingivitis), bad breath and sometimes pain.
The good news is that gingivitis can be reversed when detected early, but when treatment is not done within the appropriate time, the condition advances and causes periodontal disease. Patients with gum disease are strongly encouraged to seek treatment from a local dentist as soon as possible since this oral disease is allowed to advance, it will lead to tooth loss.
Oral Cancer
According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, “Oral cancer includes cancers of the back of the throat and mouth. Oral cancer normally affects the tonsils, gums, oropharynx and tongue. Since the various mouth cancers don’t show clear symptoms and signs in the early stages, visiting a local dentist near you is one of the most crucial strategies of identifying them. Your dentist can also screen you for mouth cancer during your visit, particularly if you show any of these symptoms:
- Loose teeth
- A white or red patch in your mouth
- A lump in your mouth
- A sore in your lip or mouth that won’t heal.
The main risk factors include the consumption of alcohol and tobacco. However, regular visits to the local dentist can assist in identifying oral cancer early.
Tooth Abscess
A tooth abscess refers to a pocket of pus normally caused by a bacterial infection. An abscess normally appears like a red, boil, bump, or pimple. It impacts the involved tooth, but also the infection can spread to the neighboring teeth and surrounding bone. A periapical tooth abscess typically occurs as a result of an untreated dental cavity, prior dental procedure or an injury.
An experienced dentist can help treat tooth abscesses by draining them and eliminating the infection. By doing so, they can help to save your tooth with a root canal procedure. But in some instances, the tooth may require to be extracted. If left untreated, a tooth abscess can lead to life-threatening complications.
Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)
Bruxism is a dental condition where you gnash, grind or clench your teeth. It normally occurs subconsciously, either when you are awake or asleep. Causes include anxiety, sleep disorders, stress and particular medications. Treating these underlying problems could assist to stop or ease your grinding.
What your local dentist can do is offer you a custom mouth guard that you can use at night. It will assist to reduce the grinding and provide some protection to your teeth. It will also help correct the bite issues.
Get Your Oral Diseases Treated at Fitzgerald Dentistry Today
The diseases discussed in this post are certainly not the only ones affecting dental health, which implies that working with a local dentist near you is crucial to detecting and treating a lot of dental problems. When it comes to choosing a dentist for oral health diseases, experience matters. The more experienced the dentist is in a certain procedure, the greater your results will be. If you are searching for an experienced dentist, we at Fitzgerald Dentistry can help.
Oral diseases can impact your general health, self-confidence and overall quality of life. Fortunately, all these diseases can be prevented with simple dental hygiene measures and it is also crucial to make routine visits to your dentist to minimize the possibility of experiencing oral health issues that may become worse, if left untreated.
If it’s been a long since you last booked an appointment with your dentist, contact us now to reduce or avoid the effects of oral diseases today.
