5 of the Most Common Dental Diseases

Dental physicians commonly encounter dental diseases in their clinic.  Dentists must maintain familiarity with the different diseases and the treatment plans of the diseases to maintain a high quality of treatment. With proper hygiene, some diseases can be prevented.  Dentists can put patients at ease during their visits by explaining how proper treatment and oral hygiene can keep many dental diseases at bay.  Five of the most common of these diseases can be prevented.  Here are some symptoms and ways to lessen the likelihood of having one or more of these diseases.

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease:

Toddlers and grade schoolers are the most common victims of the hand, foot, and mouth disease.  It is cause by a virus.  Hand, foot and mouth disease will manifest symptoms of fever and sore throat. With a proper diagnosis and treatment, this disease will disappear after a few days.

Herpangina:

Herpangina is most common in children ages 3 to 10 years old. Children will have a fever, sore throat, and difficulty swallowing.  It causes blisters and sores in the mouth.  It is very painful.

Dental Caries:

Dental caries is the existence of acid producing microorganisms that deposit their acid on tooth surfaces. These microorganisms produce acid from disaccharides and monosaccharaides that are commonly found in sugary food.  The acid produced by these microorganisms damage the enamel coating on teeth causing tooth decay.

Symptoms of dental caries are not often noticed by patients. Patients may suffer tooth sensitivity as the disease progresses. With regular dental checkups, dental caries could be prevented. Patients can stave off this disease with lower intake of foods and liquids with sugar.

Gingivitis:

Found in the gum’s crevices, gingivitis is also known as early gum disease.  Swelling and inflammation are signs of the bacteria settled in the gums.  Immediate treatment is very important so that it does not develop into periodontal disease.

Periodontal Disease:

Periodontal Disease is found in about 8 out of 10 adults and considered very common.  Microorganisms living in the subgingival dental plaque are the cause of this disease and can be transmitted through saliva. Periodontal disease causes extreme damage because it spreads below the gum line.  It can lead to the destruction of bones.

There are many risks with the dental procedure for periodontal disease. The operation for periodontal disease could lead to bacteremia and can be dangerous for older patients.  Patients with heart conditions should also be aware that the dental procedure for periodontal disease could lead to endocarditis.

With regular dental visits, all of these diseases can be prevented.  Dental visits alone will not prevent these diseases.  It must be accompanied by good oral hygiene.  If you are diligent with both your oral hygiene and dental visits you are likely to prevent one or more of these diseases.