What is oral health?

The word “oral” is referred to mouth, including teeth, gums and the supporting tissues. It is easy taking oral health for granted, but the key is to live day by bay comfortably. Oral tissues are the ones that allow us to smile, sigh, kiss, smell, taste, chew, swallow and cry. They also permit us show a series of feeling through their expressions. Taking good care of these tissues can help avoiding diseases on them and all over the body.

Which are the most common oral health problems?

The most frequent oral health problems are definitely cavities and periodontal diseases.

Cavities

We are all in jeopardy of having cavities any days along our lives. At reaching adultness, 85% of people have had cavities!

This is how it happens: it is natural that we have bacteria (germens) inside our mouths. Bacteria merge with saliva and small food rests in our mouths to form an adherent coat onto our teeth (dental plaque). Plaque has teeth wasting acids. These acids can penetrate into our teeth and create holes or cavities in them.

Periodontal diseases

They are caused by infections or plaque around our teeth, and they are a usual cause of teeth loss after the 35 years old. The first phase of periodontal diseases and one of the most common is gingivitis. Gingivitis irritates gums and makes them bleed and get swollen. Periodontal diseases are more frequent while people grow old, and most people present signs of them between their 30 or 40 years old.

Periodontitis is a type of more serious periodontal illness, which is left aside for treatment becomes worse as long as infectious focuses are formed between teeth and gums. This makes gums get separated from their respective teeth and their supporting bones get deteriorated as well. Id teeth do not have a support, they may decay. This illness is caused by mouth bacteria. You have more possibilities of getting infected of this if:

Someone in your family has it.

You are a smoker.

Have diabetes or HIV.

When plaque is not removed is hardens forming a dental calculus (tartar). As long as plaque and calculus keep on accumulating, gums start receding (getting away from teeth) and forming bags between teeth and gums.

When the periodontitis is advanced gums recede much more destroying more the bone and the periodontal ligament. Teeth, even the healthy ones, may get loose and get removed.