From kids to adults, everyone has experienced some dental and oral issues at least once in a lifetime. Bad breath, sensitive teeth, tooth decay, and bleeding gums are some of the fundamental problems that many Singaporeans face daily. Maintaining dental hygiene is the key to overcoming such issues. However, due to the hectic everyday schedule, most people neglect oral and dental health.
The statistics are damning, close to 50 per cent of Singapore’s population practice low levels of oral hygiene. With such low-levels of cleanliness, the potential of contracting dental-related diseases is high. On top of that, dental health has been linked to your overall health. Illnesses such as diabetes and endocarditis have also been linked to poor oral health.
For you to maintain dental health, you need to understand the causes, symptoms, and treatment of various dental infections.
Tooth Decay
Tooth decay, also termed as cavities, is a dental disorder where the enamel of your tooth becomes permanently damaged. Cavities are caused by bacteria, masticating sugary food, sipping sugary drinks and failure to clean your teeth, among other problems.
Symptoms
In the beginning, you might not feel anything unusual. As the decay progresses, you will notice some abnormalities in your tooth. Some signs that you will experience include tooth sensitivity to food, tiny visible holes on your tooth, spontaneous toothache, and black stains on the tooth.
Remedy
To prevent tooth decay, ensure that you regularly clean your teeth. If you have deep decays, then you have to see a skilled dentist. In Singapore, you will most likely undergo root canal treatment to remedy extensive tooth decays.
Gum Diseases
Gum diseases are common among many adults in Singapore. There are two main types of these periodontal diseases, periodontitis and gingivitis. Gingivitis is the milder version, while periodontitis develops when gingivitis is left untreated.
Bacteria in your mouth mostly cause gum diseases. Bacteria builds up to form plaque, a sticky substance that invades the gums and infects them. Smoking and health problems, such as diabetes, have also been associated with gum diseases.
Symptoms
Although gum diseases aren’t life-threatening, they can cause severe damage to the tissues and bones that support teeth. Known symptoms include tender bleeding gums, loose teeth, bad breath, sensitive teeth, and red swollen gums.
Remedy
To prevent periodontal diseases, you need to brush after each meal and floss your teeth daily. However, if you have contracted the said disease, you need treatment from a specialized doctor. Remedy will vary depending on the extent of your gum infection.
Less severe gum infections are majorly treated using non-surgical methods. Some of the non-surgical modalities that counter gum infections include laser therapy, root planing, scaling, and also the use of antimicrobials such as Periostat.
Surgical techniques deal with severe gum infections. The procedures involved are either periodontal pocket reduction or graft surgery.
Although brushing, flossing, and the use of mouthwash goes a long way in maintaining dental health, ensure that you also regularly visit an experienced dentist. A qualified dentist has the required tools and skills to examine and treat dental infections.
