Oral health is an umbrella term encompassing the conditions, disorders, and diseases affecting the oral cavity and jaws. Oral health concerns are much more than just the teeth. While the health of the teeth play an important role in oral health, they are not the only factor affecting it.
Oral health includes the health of the anatomical structures surrounding the teeth, also known as the periodontium. These periodontal tissues include the alveolar bone of the upper and lower jaws, the gum tissues covering the bone, and the ligaments connecting the teeth to the surrounding bone. You can have perfectly healthy teeth and yet lose them to an unhealthy condition of the periodontium.
Oral health also involves disorders or conditions of the soft tissues of the mouth. Many people suffer from sores, cysts, and tumors in the lips, cheeks, palate and tongue. This includes temporary ulcers, like canker sores and fever blisters. It also includes painful oral disorders like lichen planus and pemphigus.
Salivary function is an essential part of a healthy mouth. A dry mouth will have impaired oral health, and your dentist will help you manage this condition. A dry mouth cannot be a healthy mouth!
If you find yourself with bad breath or have had someone remark on your breath, you might be experiencing halitosis. Bad breath may come and go depending on what food you are eating or if you have “morning breath,” common in those who tend to breathe through the mouth. Still, the most common culprit is
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