Some symptoms are more obvious than others
The number of dentist visits to fix them can vary on the severity
A good oral health routine can help ward off many of these
Teeth play such a vital part in people’s lives. They use them to do everything from eating to talking to showing their emotions. It’s also one of the first things that people notice when they meet someone for the first time – and a negative first impression can be hard to shake.
Since they are so useful, it’s important for people to take care of their teeth and be on the lookout for
things that can go wrong with their oral health.
Here are some common signs of tooth problems that one should know about
Symptoms
- Bleeding or Sore Gums – This can be caused by people using too much force when brushing their teeth or using bristles that are too hard. That can irritate the gums. Conversely, neglecting to brush enough can also cause tender and bleeding gums. It’s best to use an electric toothbrush and let it do the work.
- Cracked Teeth – It can happen at the seemingly most random time – biting down on something only to hear or feel a crack. Upon closer inspection, it can be occur because of a lot of common factors, like biting on hard or crunchy food like popcorn or ice cubes. Exercise caution with these.
- Discolored Teeth – As one ages, the dentin in their teeth darkens, which then causes their teeth to get yellow. It also depends on their choice of beverages – coffee, tea and cola can have the same effect.
- Dry Mouth – This happens when saliva production greatly decreases or completely stops. This can be due to illness or the side effects of medication. Infection is a very real possibility, so a dentist needs to see it quickly.
- Jaw Pain or Cracking – Due to the myriad possibilities of things that can cause this, a dentist will have to use X-Rays, among other things to arrive at a diagnosis.
- Mouth Sores – There are several factors that can cause this – a certain type of food, illness, or irritation from braces. They usually go away fairly quickly, but a dental visit is in order if the sore is still around after a week.
- Sensitive Teeth – If drinking hot or cold beverages is painful, this is the reason. Cracked teeth or receding gums are often the reason. There is toothpaste geared toward those symptoms.
Treatment
The dentist will hear the symptoms and examine the mouth to see how extensive the problem is. Once a diagnosis is reached, the next step is to see how many visits might be needed. That depends on how big the problem is and how far it has advanced – which can also hinge on how quickly the appointment was made after the symptoms first started.
Prevention
If caught early enough, at the gingivitis stage, it can be stopped. If things progressed beyond that, then it becomes a situation of preventing it from getting worse – it cannot be fully cured.
Defending against this doesn’t mean having to spend a lot of money – a toothbrush, some toothpaste, and dental floss is all that is needed. Proper technique is essential – brushing for 30 seconds in each quadrant of the mouth – totaling 2 minutes, carefully flossing and then using a mouthwash.
The staff at Esthetix Dental Spa has seen all of these dental problems – and helped rid patients of them so that they can enjoy optimum oral health for a long time. They are always glad to impart knowledge – give them a call at 212-795-9675.