It’s very easy to overlook dental hygiene and rely on the dentist to solve any complications when they arise and restore the health of the teeth again, according to a central Leeds dentist. But what happens in the mouth, can affect the rest of the body and any oral infections and disease can lead to very serious health issues. Bacteria are a constant danger to our teeth and if unchecked, can lead to dental caries (or cavities) and then pain, disease, tooth loss and infection- in some cases, death. Caries attack the tooth in three different ways. The first is on the top of the tooth where the enamel folds into crevasses and is the most difficult area to clean. If plaque is allowed to build up, the bacteria will slowly form cavities and these can be spotted visually. The second location is where the tooth reaches down to the gum (a white, chalky spot being a give away) and the third is the root- these can be detected by a radiograph and are more difficult to treat. The worst example is where cavities occur in a lot of teeth- rampant caries and children are at high risk to this, especially when new teeth are coming through. Common causes of caries are high sugar content foods and a bacteria promoting diet that leads to plaque and tartar, a dry mouth due to the lack of saliva (often due to the use of stimulants and/or smoking) and poor oral hygiene. If decay is detected, immediate treatment will be required. Depending on the extent of the problem, a filling is the most common solution. If the level of decay is bad, the tooth may require a root canal and in extreme cases, an extraction may be the only answer.
Tags: bacteria, dental carries, dental hygiene
