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!
Understanding Periodontal Disease Periodontal disease is a common oral health condition that affects many people worldwide but often goes untreated. It can cause severe consequences for the teeth and underlying bone structure without treatment. However, when you understand the warning signs and start treatment, you can protect your smile and overall health. What is Periodontal
What is an Alveoloplasty? After a tooth extraction, the socket needs time to heal. Eventually, the missing tooth must be replaced with a crown, bridge, or dental implant. Sometimes, the jawbone isn’t prepared to accept the new artificial tooth, requiring the dentist to perform an additional procedure called an alveoloplasty. If the jawbone is uneven
Orthodontics is a specialized field in dentistry that deals with diagnosing, preventing, and treating misaligned teeth and jaws. Patients undergo orthodontic care to enhance their smile and improve oral health conditions like overcrowded teeth and bite difficulties. It moves teeth into a stable position by putting pressure on them to guide them in the right
Everything You Need to Know About Mandibular Tori Removal Have you noticed a bony growth along the surface of your lower jaw closest to your tongue? It’s often nothing to be concerned about because it’s presumably a torus. Although these bumps, also known as dental tori, are nothing to worry about, they can interfere with
A side effect of missing teeth or untreated gum disease is bone loss. When this happens, your oral surgeon may recommend bone grafting before beginning other treatments. Depending on your unique needs, bone grafting can be taken from various sources and transferred to your mouth. What is Bone Grafting? Bone graft is a material that
Learn About Internal Teeth Bleaching A bright, white smile is often seen as a sign of confidence, happiness, and health. However, teeth can become discolored internally even with the best oral hygiene routine. When this happens, your dentist may recommend internal bleaching to restore your tooth’s natural luster. Since this requires more than a topical
Airway Orthodontics Helps You Breathe Your airway passage is directly associated with your unique dental structure and orthodontic condition. How well you breathe and sleep, and your ability to focus on daily tasks are related to the state of your airway. These issues may indicate you have a sleep apnea disorder. One solution to treat
The Role of an Oral Biopsy You may have heard of “oral biopsy” before but are unsure what it is or why you might need one. It’s a common dental procedure that tests an abnormality found in your mouth during a dental examination. This dental procedure is crucial in diagnosing oral health conditions like cancer.
Some people have them and some don’t, but in most cases when wisdom teeth begin to erupt from the gumline or become impacted, they can cause problems that warrant a wisdom teeth extraction. When Should I Get my Wisdom Tooth Checked? Normally, The wisdom tooth starts showing in your mouth from 17 to 25. You
Is Orthodontic Treatment Purely Cosmetic? We hear these types of questions from patients and patients’ parents all the time. Many people think straightening the teeth is unnecessary because it is “just cosmetic”. Make no mistake: orthodontic treatment does improve the cosmetic appearance of a smile. But that is not all it does. Orthodontic treatment provides
