Common Problems

Tooth Decay

Caries, or tooth decay, is a preventable disease. While caries might not endanger your life, they may negatively impact your quality of life.

When your teeth and gums are consistently exposed to large amounts of starches and sugars, acids may form that begin to eat away at tooth enamel. Carbohydrate-rich foods such as candy, cookies, soft drinks and even fruit juices leave deposits on your teeth. Those deposits bond with the bacteria that normally survive in your mouth and form plaque. The combination of deposits and plaque forms acids that can damage the mineral structure of teeth, with tooth decay resulting.

Sensitive Teeth

Your teeth expand and contract in reaction to changes in temperature. Hot and cold food and beverages can cause pain or irritation to people with sensitive teeth. Over time, tooth enamel can be worn down, gums may recede or teeth may develop microscopic cracks, exposing the interior of the tooth and irritating nerve endings. Just breathing cold air can be painful for those with extremely sensitive teeth.

Wisdom Teeth

Your third molars are more commonly called “wisdom teeth.” Usually appearing in the late teens or early twenties, third molars often lack the proper space in the jaw to erupt fully or even at all. This common condition is called impaction. When any tooth lacks the space to come through or simply develops in the wrong place of your jaw and becomes impacted, problems can arise. Primarily, damage to adjacent teeth and crowding occur.

In certain cases, the wisdom tooth that cannot come through becomes inflamed under the gums and in the jawbone, causing a sac to develop around the root of the tooth that then fills with liquid. This can cause a cyst or an abscess if it becomes infected. If either of these situations goes untreated, serious damage to the underlying bone and surrounding teeth and tissues can result.

Gum Disease

Gum, or periodontal, disease can cause inflammation, tooth loss and bone damage. Gum disease begins with a sticky film of bacteria called plaque. Gums in the early stage of disease, or gingivitis, can bleed easily and become red and swollen. As the disease progresses to periodontitis, teeth may fall out or need to be removed by a dentist. Gum disease is highly preventable and can usually be avoided by daily brushing and flossing. One indicator of gum disease is consistent bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth.

Bad Breath (Halitosis)

Daily brushing and flossing helps to prevent the buildup of food particles, plaque and bacteria in your mouth. Food particles left in the mouth deteriorate and cause bad breath. While certain foods, such as garlic or anchovies, may create temporary bad breath, consistent bad breath may be a sign of gum disease or another dental problem.

Canker Sores

Canker sores (aphthous ulcers) are small sores inside the mouth that often recur. Generally lasting one or two weeks, the duration of canker sores can be reduced by the use of antimicrobial mouthwashes or topical agents. The canker sore has a white or gray base surrounded by a red border.

Orthodontic Problems

A bite that does not meet properly (a malocclusion) can be inherited, or some types may be acquired. Some causes of malocclusion include missing or extra teeth, crowded teeth or misaligned jaws. Accidents or developmental issues, such as finger or thumb sucking over an extended period of time, may cause malocclusions.

General Information

Healthy Teeth, Healthy Body: Another reason to maintain regular checkups and good oral hygiene

Did you know that poor oral health can affect more than just your mouth. Increasing evidence by numerous research studies have shown a connection between oral health and general health, as well as overall well being. For example, Periodontal disease or disease of the gums and the supporting bone, has been linked to a number of systemic diseases such as:

Diabetes

Because diabetes reduces the body’s resistance to infection and slows the natural healing process, the gums are among the tissues likely to be affected. Due to this fact, periodontal diseases often appear to be more frequent and more severe among persons with diabetes. In addition, patients with inadequate blood sugar levels tend to lose more teeth than persons who have good control of their diabetes. That’s why good maintenance of blood sugar levels, a well-balanced diet that meets your needs, good oral care at home, regular dental checkups and periodontal examinations are important.

Cardiovascular disease (Heart attack and stroke)

New research has shown a progressive association between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease refers to the hardening of the arteries and can result in heart attack or stroke. Periodontitis is believed to cause a low, but long-lasting, systemic inflammatory reaction, which in turn contributes to the development of atherosclerosis. Research conducted by the National Institute of Health (NIH) showed that bacteria specific to periodontal disease were found in higher concentrations in artherosclerotic arteries than normal arteries. Furthermore, another study also carried out by the NIH, determined that subjects with severe chronic gum disease were at risk for presence of carotid artery plaque (fatty deposits) deposit levels up to four times that of subjects without periodontal disease.

Pre-term/low birth weight babies

Periodontitis is a Gram-negative infection and it may have the potential to influence a woman's pregnancy. The same bacteria species that have been found in the periodontal pockets of pregnant women’s gums, have also been collected in the amniotic fluid of women with preterm births. Just like in the gums, this oral bacteria represents a significant source of inflammation and infection during pregnancy which may produce bacteraemia and pregnancy complications.