Common Dental Problems and How to Prevent Them

[Isla Wright]

Everybody wants to have a beautiful smile with ideally shaped white teeth, pink gums and breath as fresh as mint leaves. However, there are many people out there who weren’t blessed with such a smile. In fact, not only do their teeth look far from picture perfect, but they often suffer from various dental issues. And even though there is a whole range of these dental problems, some are more frequent than others. Luckily, nowadays anything can be treated, but there are also ways to prevent some of these problems. Here are the most common dental issues and advice on how to prevent them.

Tooth decay

Not many people have had the fortune of avoiding tooth decay, also known as caries or dental cavities at some point in their lives. The usual cause of caries is the foods we eat. It’s exactly those ingredients that aren’t considered healthy that cause the issue. The main culprits are sugary foods and starches, which can form a thin layer of bacteria on the surface of our teeth. This thin layer is known as plaque and it can lead to cavities in case we don’t find a way to remove it from our teeth. Children and the elderly are the ones who most frequently suffer from tooth decay, but it can actually happen to anybody. To prevent it, make sure you brush your teeth regularly, and with a fluoride toothpaste. It’s also helpful to floss daily. In elderly, gum tissue has been known to pull down, which leaves the teeth roots exposed and vulnerable, and this is where cavities usually appear, so it’s essential that they pay special attention to their oral hygiene and oral health.

Tooth sensitivity

When it comes to common dental issues, we can’t skip tooth sensitivity, since it affects millions of people. In short, sharp pain and sensitivity appear when dentin, which is a thin layer enveloping the teeth nerves, gets exposed. This usually happens due to gum disease, too much brushing, or simply old age. Things that can cause pain include sweetness, heat, cold or any sort of acid. Even breathing cold air can be very painful, but also brushing your teeth and flossing them. Other than the exposed dentin, tooth sensitivity can appear when one of your teeth gets chipped or you have tooth abscess. In any case, this is a treatable condition, so if you notice any discomfort or pain, make sure you visit your dentist and find out what the cause is, so that you can receive treatment. Prevention is based solely on good oral hygiene, which includes limiting sugary and acidic foods, as well as regular checkups with your dentist.

Unattractive smile

Although this can simply be a matter of aesthetics, it can sometimes be caused by a dental problem, and it’s definitely something that makes a large number of people seek dental treatment. People who consider their smiles unappealing often develop low self-esteem and even shy away from others, especially in big cities, where people are competitive in all spheres, including good looks. Australians are aware of this, which is why you can have your teeth whitened or get dental implants in any part of big cities like Sydney. Things are now as simple as finding an experienced orthodontist in Chatswood to solve your problems with anything from traditional and lingual braces to Invisalign aligners, helping you get the smile you’ve been dreaming of. This means that, due to the fast development in dental-related technologies, you can now straighten your teeth without anybody even noticing you’re wearing braces.

Periodontal disease

Smoking, unhealthy diet and inadequate oral hygiene can lead to bacterial infections of the gums around your teeth. You’ll know you’ve got a problem when you notice your gums are red, swollen or are bleeding, and that your breath is bad. These symptoms mean that you’re in the earliest stage of periodontal disease, the inflammation or gingivitis. This is when you should react immediately, since the early stage is easy to treat, but if left untreated, it can progress into one of the following stages of periodontal disease. If this happens, you’ll face irreversible damage to your gums and may even experience loss of teeth. You can prevent all of this from happening by making your diet and your habits healthier and by maintaining good oral hygiene. However, if you notice any of the above-mentioned symptoms, make sure you contact your dentist as soon as you can to get help and prevent things from escalating.

Although the issues can vary from one person to another, the solutions are mostly simple and the same for every dental problem. Never neglect your oral hygiene and visit your dentist regularly to keep your gums and your teeth healthy and beautiful