The Most Common Dental Problems That Can Be Avoided

Are there common dental issues that dentists and perhaps periodontists see in their offices day in and day out? The answer is yes and of these most common dental problems, most all can be avoided! Great news, huh?

Here are the most common, and very avoidable, dental issues that dentists and periodontist deal with regularly:

Gum Disease

Gum disease also referred to in the dental world as periodontal disease is a disease in which plaque builds up on the gum line and below the gum line causing inflammation and possible infection. The earliest stage of periodontal gum disease, the only one whose effects are reversible, is gingivitis.

If gingivitis goes untreated, it will progress to periodontitis, which will result in the gums pulling away from the teeth where deep pockets will begin to form around the tooth. In the next, advanced periodontitis stage of gum disease, these pockets are filled with bacteria that eat away at the gum tissue, bone and fibers causing eventual tooth loss. Scary, right?

Do not panic if you have been told or feel as though you might have gingivitis. The progression can be stopped and effects reversed with the simple implementation of proper brushing and flossing.

Cavities

Cavities are formed when plaque, a clear sticky substance, builds up on the tooth and eats away at the enamel, exposing the bare tooth to all harmful elements (i.e. all that Halloween candy you are about to eat).

The acid produced by the bacteria eats a hole into the tooth causing a cavity. The good news, cavities can be fixed and prevented! Proper brushing and flossing as well as regular dental cleanings are the best way to keep plaque off your teeth and thus cavities out of them!

Enamel Loss

The loss of enamel on the surface of teeth is a result of over eating highly acidic foods as well as over brushing (or brushing too vigorously). Teeth that suffer enamel erosion are at an increased risk of developing cavities. The best way to prevent the enamel loss is to use a fluoride toothpaste that you brush gently with and to limit your intake of acid and citrus foods.

Please contact us if you have any questions about your oral health.