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Anyone who’s experienced ongoing mouth pain knows how even a minor ulcer or infection can hamper your daily routine.
So it’s good to be able to spot the signs of oral health problems before they get out of hand.
The warning signs for oral health problems can be divided into five categories. We take a look at each one, and the symptoms that may mean a trip to a Ryde dental practice is a good idea!
If you have tooth pain, it can indicate that the tooth is cracked or decayed and the nerve inside is exposed. Symptoms are often worse when eating or drinking.
If you are experiencing pain in the gums, you may have an abscess. This is where the tissue around the tooth has become infected, often because the tooth is decayed. Infection results in a build-up of pus within the tooth that spreads to the surrounding area.
Although uncommon, chronic jaw pain could be a symptom of osteomyelitis of the jaw, which causes jaw pain, fever and facial swelling, but can be cure with antibiotics.
Temporomandibular disorder, also known as TMD, affects the jaw join, causing pain and sometimes making the jaw click when the mouth opens.
Healthy gums are pale pink and fit firmly around the teeth. Infected gums become red and swollen, gaps appear around the teeth and gums can bleed.
This is known as gingivitis – the ‘gingiva’ being the part of the gum around the base of the tooth. It’s a very common disease, and your dentist will be able to assist you in clearing it up.
According to the American Academy of Periodontology, chronic periodontitis is a severe form of gum disease that can lead to tooth loss. Scaling and cleaning the tooth’s root are ways of curing periodontitis, but sometimes surgery is required.
Most cases of bad breath are due to poor oral hygiene, gingivitis and periodontitis. If it persists, you should contact your dentist to get to the root cause.
In cases where bad breath is the result of a medical condition not related to the mouth, your dentist can refer you to a specialist.
If you have a sore in your mouth, it may simply be an abscess related to tooth decay, or one of those irritating ulcers that will go away after a week or two. However, sores or lumps in the mouth can be a sign of something more serious.
According to the Australian Dental Association, oral cancer can affect anyone from young adults to the elderly. It can occur on the lips, tongue, cheeks, gums, in the back of the throat or in the salivary glands.
If any of the symptoms above are causing you pain, or you just want to be certain about your oral health, contact our Ryde dental clinic for a check-up. Risks and consequences may apply to any treatment. Always seek a second opinion when considering complex treatment. A referral to a specialist may be required in certain situations.
"The information in this website may be simplified in nature and does not replace professional advice. Risks and consequences may apply to any treatment. Always seek a second opinion when considering complex treatment. A referral to a specialist may be required in certain situations. Quotations can only be given after proper clinical assessment and so pricing details cannot be given over the phone."
