Items Tagged With Dental Health

Cavities occur as a result of tooth decay. Tooth decay is the destruction of tooth structure. Tooth decay can affect both the enamel (the outer coating of the tooth) and the dentin layer of the tooth.

Tooth decay occurs when foods containing carbohydrates (sugars and starches) such as breads, cereals, milk, soda, fruits, cakes, or candy are left on the teeth. Bacteria that live in the mouth digest these foods, turning them into acids. The bacteria, acid, food debris, and saliva combine to form plaque, which clings to the teeth. The acids in plaque dissolve the enamel surface of the teeth, creating holes in the teeth called cavities, or caries.

Who Gets Cavities?

Many people think cavities only affect children, but changes that occur with aging make cavities an adult problem too. Recession of the gums (a pulling away of gum tissue from the teeth), often associated with an increased incidence of gingivitis (gum disease), can expose tooth roots to plaque. Also, sugary food cravings in pregnant women can make them more vulnerable to developing cavities.

Decay around the edges of fillings is also common in older adults. Because many older adults lacked the benefits of fluoride and modern preventive dental care when they were growing up, they often have a number of dental fillings. Over the years, these fillings may weaken and can fracture, allowing bacteria to accumulate in the tiny crevices causing tooth decay.

How Do I Know if I Have a Cavity?

Your dentist can discover cavities during your regular dental check-up. The tooth surface feels soft when probed by your dentist with a dental instrument. X-rays can also show cavities before they become visible to the eye.

In advanced stages of tooth decay, you might experience a toothache, especially after consuming sweet, hot, or cold foods or drinks. Other signs of tooth decay are visible pits or holes in the teeth.

How Are Cavities Treated?

Cavities are treated in a number of different ways depending on the extent of tooth decay. If decay is not extensive, the decayed portion of the tooth is removed by drilling and replaced with a filling made of silver alloy, gold, porcelain, or a composite resin. Restorative materials used in fillings are considered safe. Concerns have been raised over the safety of mercury-based, silver amalgams in particular, but the ADA, FDA, and other public health agencies continue to support the safety of this restorative material. Allergies to silver amalgam are rare as are allergies to other restorative materials.

If the decay is extensive and there is limited tooth structure remaining, crowns will be used. If a crown is needed, the decayed or weakened area of the tooth is removed and repaired and a crown is fitted over the remainder of the tooth. Crowns are made from gold, porcelain, or porcelain fused to metal.

 VitaDocs Medical Reference provided in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic

There are several reasons why some people's teeth grow in crooked, overlapping, or twisted. Some people's mouths are too small for their teeth, which crowds the teeth and causes them to shift. In other cases, a person's upper and lower jaws aren't the same size or are malformed, resulting in either an overbite, when there is excessive protrusion of the upper jaw, or an under bite, when the lower jaw protrudes forward causing the lower jaw and teeth to extend out beyond the upper teeth.

Most often crooked teeth, overbites, and under bites are inherited traits just as the color of your eyes or size of your hands. Other causes of misaligned bites are early loss of baby or adult teeth; improper fit of dental restorations (for example, fillings or crowns); gingivitis (gum disease); undue pressure on the teeth and gums; misalignment of jaw after severe facial injury; tumors of the mouth or jaw; or common oral health problems in children such as thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, pacifier use beyond the age of three, or prolonged use of a bottle.

What Problems Come With Crooked Teeth and Misaligned Bites?

Crooked teeth and misaligned bites can:

• Interfere with proper chewing.
• Make keeping teeth clean more of a challenge, increasing the risk of tooth decay, cavities and gingivitis.
• Strain the teeth, jaws, and muscles, increasing the risk of breaking a tooth.
• Make people feel self-conscious about their appearance and affect their self-esteem.

How Do I Know if My Teeth Are Crooked or My Bite Is Misaligned?

While you can see for yourself if your teeth are crooked, your dentist can determine if your problem warrants treatment. Your dentist will look for the following signs:

• Abnormal alignment of your teeth
• Abnormal appearance of your face
• Difficulty or discomfort when chewing or biting
• Speech difficulties, including a lisp

Your dentist will usually refer you to an orthodontist --a dentist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of crooked teeth and misaligned jaws.

What Tests Can I Expect at the Orthodontist?

The orthodontist will likely take X-rays, photographs of your face, and teeth impressions to determine if and what type of treatment is needed. X-rays provide information on the position of your teeth and roots and if any teeth have yet to come through the gums. Special cephalometrics or panoramic X-rays show the relationship of the teeth to the jaws and the jaws to the head. Your orthodontist may also want to take regular photographs of your face to further examine the relationship between your teeth, jaws, and head. Finally, impressions may be made of your teeth. This is done by having you bite down on a material that is later used to create an exact copy of your teeth.

How Are Crooked Teeth and Misaligned Bites Treated?

Once a diagnosis is made, your orthodontist can decide the best treatment for you. For some people, a removable retainer (to stabilize the new position of teeth) will be all that's needed to correct the problem. Removal of one or more teeth may be required if overcrowding is the main problem. For most people, braces are necessary to correct the problem. In rare and extreme cases, such as an extreme overbite or under bite, an operation may be necessary.

Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Department of Dentistry.

Crooked Teeth  Dental Health  Misaligned Bites 

Gingivitis, also generally called gum disease or periodontal disease, describes the events that begin with bacterial growth in your mouth and may end – if not properly treated – with tooth loss due to destruction of the tissue that surrounds your teeth.

What's the Difference Between Gingivitis and Periodontitis?

Gingivitis usually precedes periodontitis. However, it is important to know that not all gingivitis progresses to periodontitis.

In the early stage of gingivitis, bacteria in plaque build up, causing the gums to become inflamed (red and swollen) and often easily bleed during tooth brushing. Although the gums may be irritated, the teeth are still firmly planted in their sockets. No irreversible bone or other tissue damage has occurred at this stage.

When gingivitis is left untreated, it can advance to periodontitis. In a person with periodontitis, the inner layer of the gum and bone pull away from the teeth and form pockets. These small spaces between teeth and gums collect debris and can become infected. The body's immune system fights the bacteria as the plaque spreads and grows below the gum line.

Toxins or poisons – produced by the bacteria in plaque as well as the body's "good" enzymes involved in fighting infections – start to break down the bone and connective tissue that hold teeth in place. As the disease progresses, the pockets deepen and more gum tissue and bone are destroyed. When this happens, teeth are no longer anchored in place, they become looser, and tooth loss occurs. Gum disease, in fact, is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults.

What Causes Periodontal Disease?

Plaque is the primary cause of periodontal disease. However, other factors can contribute to gum disease. These include:

• Hormonal changes such as those occurring during pregnancy, puberty, menopause, and monthly menstruation-make gums more sensitive, which makes it easier for gingivitis to develop.
• Hormonal changes such as those occurring during pregnancy, puberty, menopause, and monthly menstruation -- make gums more sensitive, which makes it easier for gingivitis to develop.
• Illnesses may affect the condition of your gums. This includes diseases such as cancer or HIV that interfere with the immune system. Because diabetes affects the body's ability to use blood sugar, patients with this disease are at higher risk of developing infections, including periodontal disease.
• Medications can affect oral health because some lessen the flow of saliva, which has a protective effect on teeth and gums. Some drugs, such as the anticonvulsant medication Dilantin and the anti-angina drug Procardia and Adalat, can cause abnormal growth of gum tissue.
• Bad habits such as smoking make it harder for gum tissue to repair itself.
• Poor oral hygiene habits such as not brushing and flossing on a daily basis, make it easier for gingivitis to develop.
• Family history of dental disease can be a contributing factor for the development of gingivitis.

Leukoplakia is a white or gray patch that develops on the tongue or the inside of the cheek. It is the mouth's reaction to chronic irritation of the mucous membranes of the mouth. Leukoplakia patches can also develop on the female genital area; however, the cause of this is unknown.

The growth can occur at any time in your life, but it is most common in the elderly.

"Hairy" leukoplakia of the mouth is an unusual form of leukoplakia that is seen only in people who are infected with HIV, have AIDS, or AIDS-related complex. It consists of fuzzy, hence the name "hairy," white patches on the tongue and less frequently elsewhere in the mouth. It may resemble thrush, an infection caused by the fungus Candida which, in adults, usually occurs if your immune system is not working properly, and may be one of the first signs of infection with the HIV virus.

What Causes Leukoplakia?

• Irritation from rough teeth, fillings, or crowns, or ill-fitting dentures that rub against your cheek or gum
• Chronic smoking, pipe smoking, or other tobacco use
• Sun exposure to the lips
• Oral cancer, although rare
• HIV or AIDS

What Are the Symptoms?

The presence of white or gray colored patches on your tongue, gums, roof of your mouth, or the inside of the cheeks of your mouth may be a sign of leukoplakia. The patch may have developed slowly over weeks to months and be thick, slightly raised, and may eventually take on a hardened and rough texture. It usually is painless, but may be sensitive to touch, heat, spicy foods, or other irritation.

How Is Leukoplakia Diagnosed?

Your dentist may suspect leukoplakia upon examination; however, a biopsy will likely be taken to rule out other causes, such as oral cancer. During the biopsy, a small piece of tissue from the lesion will be removed to be examined in a lab. A numbing agent will be used so that you will not feel any pain.

How Is Leukoplakia Treated?

Treatment, if needed, involves removing the source of irritation. For example, if leukoplakia is caused by a rough tooth or an irregular surface on a denture or filling the tooth will be smoothed and dental appliances repaired. If leukoplakia is caused by smoking, you will be asked to minimize or stop smoking or using other tobacco products.

Leukoplakia is usually harmless, and lesions usually clear in a few weeks or months after the source of irritation is removed. If eliminating the source of irritation is ineffective in reducing leukoplakia, the lesion may need to be surgically removed. The lesion can be removed either by your general dentist or by an oral surgeon in their office under local anesthesia.

Hairy leukoplakia requires treatment with an antiviral medication.

Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Department of Dentistry.

Dental Health  Leukoplakia 

Cancer is defined as the uncontrollable growth of cells that invade and cause damage to surrounding tissue. Oral cancer appears as a growth or sore in the mouth that does not go away. Oral cancer, which includes cancers of the lips, tongue, cheeks, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, and pharynx (throat), can be life threatening if not diagnosed and treated early.

What Are the Symptoms of Oral Cancer?

The most common signs of oral cancer include:

• Swellings/thickenings, lumps or bumps, rough spots/crusts/or eroded areas on the lips, gums or other areas inside the mouth.
• The development of velvety white, red, or speckled (white and red) patches in the mouth.
• Unexplained bleeding in the mouth.
• Unexplained numbness, loss of feeling, or pain/tenderness in any area of the face, mouth, or neck.
• Persistent sores on the face, neck, or mouth that bleed easily and do not heal within 2 weeks.
• A soreness or feeling that something is caught in the back of the throat.
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing, speaking, or moving the jaw or tongue.
• Hoarseness, chronic sore throat, or change in voice.
• Ear pain.
• A change in the way your teeth or dentures fit together.
• Dramatic weight loss.

If you notice any of these changes, contact your dentist or health care professional immediately for a professional examination.

Who Gets Oral Cancer?

According to the American Cancer Society, men face twice the risk of developing oral cancer as women, and men who are over age 50 face the greatest risk. In fact, oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer among men.

Risk factors for the development of oral cancer include:

• Smoking. Cigarette, cigar, or pipe smokers are six times more likely than nonsmokers to develop oral cancers.
• Smokeless tobacco users. Users of dip, snuff, or chewing tobacco products are 50 times more likely to develop cancers of the cheek, gums and lining of the lips.
• Excessive consumption of alcohol. Oral cancers are about six times more common in drinkers than in nondrinkers.
• Family history of cancer.
• Excessive sun exposure, especially at a young age.

It is important to note that over 25% of all oral cancers occur in people who do not smoke and who only drink alcohol occasionally.

What Is the Outlook for People With Oral Cancer?

The overall 1-year survival rate for patients with all stages of oral cavity and pharynx cancers is 81%. The 5- and 10-year survival rates are 56% and 41%, respectively.

How Is Oral Cancer Diagnosed?

As part of your routine dental examination, your dentist will conduct an oral cancer screening exam. More specifically, your dentist will feel for any lumps or irregular tissue changes in your neck, head, face, and oral cavity. When examining your mouth, your dentist will look for any sores or discolored tissue as well as check for any signs and symptoms mentioned above.

Your dentist may perform an oral brush biopsy if he or she sees tissue in your mouth that looks suspicious. This test is painless and involves taking a small sample of the tissue and analyzing it for abnormal cells. Alternatively, if the tissue looks more suspicious, your dentist may recommend a scalpel biopsy. This procedure usually requires local anesthesia and may be performed by your dentist or a specialist. These tests are necessary to detect oral cancer early, before it has had a chance to progress and spread.