What Are the Dental Emergencies to Watch Out in Today’s Time?
Dental cleaning helps in keeping your breath fresh and your teeth clean. Unfortunately, poor oral hygiene has resulted in many health complications going unnoticed. Dental exams and cleanings will help find and treat any complications that can result from poor oral health. We are going to share the most common dental emergencies and how to prevent/treat them.
Cavity/Dental Caries
Dental caries occurs when small holes develop on the teeth after plaque (an accumulation of bacteria) builds up due to poor oral hygiene, damaging the hard outer shell of the tooth called enamel. Prevention of dental caries involves brushing your teeth and flossing regularly.
Tooth Loss
Poorly cleaned teeth will result in tooth decay because of plaque build-up under the gums. Tooth decay, if left untreated, will further result in infection, which causes tooth loss (periodontitis). In addition, brushing your teeth may not be enough as some food particles get stuck between tooth gaps. This is why regular visits to the dentist are advised.
Tooth Discoloration
When you do not brush or floss your teeth for a long period, it will result in your tooth becoming brownish, which may lead to tooth loss if left untreated. A dentist can whiten your discolored teeth so that you can laugh and smile with confidence.
Loss of Jaw-Bone
When a tooth is cracked as a result of a cavity, it can result in pain when pressure is applied as you are chewing. Your natural response to this will be to avoid using the damaged tooth. However, with the absence of the pressure exerted through chewing, the jawbone will start to wear down and reabsorb back into the body. To prevent this occurrence, we advise you to visit a dentist to fill or replace the damaged tooth. Brushing and flossing regularly will ensure that your teeth remain healthy for a long period.
Bleeding Gums
A build-up of plaque on the gums causes gum inflammation. If the plaque is not removed early, it can manifest to tartar, leading to bleeding gums and periodontitis. Brushing your teeth regularly with fluoride toothpaste will prevent gum disease. For those with sensitive gums, a suitable toothpaste will be prescribed by your dentist after a checkup.
Chipping of Teeth
As you get older, your teeth will start to deteriorate and become brittle. To prevent your teeth from cracking and splitting, avoid chewing on hard solid food. A few examples of food items that are hard to chew include sugarcane, nuts, carrots, and bread crust. Another major cause of chipping teeth is the use of teeth to open bottle tops, which causes damage to the tooth and its’ roots.
Dry Mouth
Saliva lubricates your mouth and cleans your teeth which helps to remove plaque that might be stuck between your teeth gaps. However, as you get older, saliva production reduces; this can make getting tooth infection easy as the plaque can manifest to bacteria leading to tooth decay. To keep your mouth moist throughout the day, make sure you drink enough water, chew sugar-free gum, and avoid using OTC mouth wash regularly.
Bad Breath
When you don’t brush your teeth, plaque accumulation creates a favorable condition for bacteria to thrive in. The accumulation of bacteria leads to the development of tooth decay which causes your teeth to rot and produce a foul smell. If not taken care of early enough, bad breath will lead to your friends and co-workers avoiding you. Lack of a healthy social relationship creates a feeling of emptiness and loneliness, leading to low self-esteem/depression. To prevent bad breath from messing up your social life, make sure you brush your teeth once or twice a day and visit your dentist regularly for routine checkups.
Mouth Cancer
Sometimes good oral hygiene is not a guarantee of not getting any health complications related to dental hygiene. The manifestation of mouth cancer goes unnoticed by most people until it’s too late. To stay on the safer side, make sure you visit your dentist regularly for routine checkups. This will make it easier for cancer to be diagnosed and treated early.
The Takeaway
Prevent future dental emergencies today by adopting good oral hygiene and visiting your dentist regularly for routine checkups. Visit New Tampa Smiles for top-tier dental care services.