Information

1. TOOTH ACHE

What causes a Tooth Ache?

Mild, severe, sharp, shooting, throbbing, intermittent – tooth ache comes in many forms. To make matters worse, you may not even be able to pin-point the exact location of pain (e.g. it may feel like it is coming from the ear or cheekbones) . Regardless of type, main reason for a tooth ache is tooth decay. It can also be caused by cracks and fractures, infected gums, sensitive teeth or an impacted tooth (tooth getting wedged between another tooth and jaw, typically a wisdom teeth)

How are Tooth Aches Treated ?

It is recommended that you see your dentist if the pain is persisting for more than a day. The dentist will examine your teeth and, mouth and take an X-Ray if required. The treatment would depend on the underlying condition that is causing the tooth ache

• If it is a tooth decay, the dentist will clean and fill the cavity
• If it is an infection in the tooth’s nerve (pulp), you may require a Root Canal Treatment
• In case of an impacted tooth or cases which can not be treated, you may require an extraction
• In case of a sensitive teeth, Flouride Application could be the way to go

How to prevent Tooth Aches?

Good oral hygiene (brushing and flossing) is the single most important thing you can do to prevent toothaches. Other steps include limiting your sugar intake and regular visits to your dentist (atleast once in six months)

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2. MISSING TEETH

What causes a Missing Tooth?

It is not uncommon for people to lose a permanent tooth during their adult life. It may have been lost during an accident or had them pulled out by a dentist as it became severely damaged or broken. Also, some people do not develop all of their permanent teeth because of a genetic condition they are born with (known as hypodontia).

How are Missing Teeth treated ?

Many people consider replacing the missing teeth for cosmetic reasons such as enhancing their appearance and improving their smile. Treating missing teeth is also important to treat functional problems associated with chewing, speaking, lisp and jaw joint problems. There are number of effective ways to treat the missing teeth such as

• A Dental Implant that is placed below your gums in your jawbone offering a strong, long-term solution for a tooth replacement
• A Dental Bridge can placed to fill the gap left by your missing tooth by using teeth on either side as support
• A custom-made Denture that will replace a number of missing teeth and can be taken out and put back into your mouth as required

How to prevent Tooth Loss?

Good oral hygiene is critical to prevent tooth loss. A large proportion of tooth loss is associated with gum disease, hence it is important to schedule a visit to your dentist regularly. People should pay specially attention if they are aged over 35 or if you have diabetes or high blood pressure or are a smoker. It is also important to consult your child’s dentist (pedodontist) to monitor his or her oral development or check for missing teeth.

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3. BROKEN TOOTH

What causes a Broken Tooth?

Our teeth are designed to be remarkably strong and it is one of the hardest substances in the human body. However they are prone to chipping, cracking or breakage. A broken tooth can be a result of sports injuries, accidental falls, biting down something hard or weakened tooth structure due to cavities or dental decay. Infants could also loose teeth from accidental falls as they learn to walk.

HowareBroken Teeth treated?

The treatment for broken teeth is dependent on extend and type of breakage.

• Cracks are normally repaired with filling material followed by placement of a crown
• If the crack in your tooth that has extended into the pulp, the tooth can be preserved with a root canal treatment.
• In case of split tooth, you may have to undergo a root canal treatment followed by a crown placement
• Vertical breaks or split roots often treated by extraction followed by implant restoration
• It may also be possible to save a knocked-out tooth if you seek treatment within an hour of the incident

How to prevent a Broken Tooth?

Moderating intake of foods such as hard candies, ice, citrus, coffee, dried fruit, potato chips, soda, alcohol, and sports drinks are important to preserve the strength of your teeth. To prevent sports-related tooth injuries it is essential to wear mouth guards, face cages and helmets.

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1. BLEEDING GUMS

Bleeding gums are caused when germs attack the tissue around the teeth. It is usually caused by poor oral hygiene, medication, stress or genetics. The medical terminology bleeding gums is gingivitis and it is the first stage of gum disease along with bad breath or swollen gums. It is normally a painless condition and hence there is a tendency for people to ignore it. In rare cases, bleeding gums can be a symptom for a more serious blood disorder.

How are Bleeding Gums treated?

Bleeding gums usually happen due to inadequate plaque removal. So the best treatment for bleeding gums is prevention! If there is swelling of gums or regular bleeding while brushing it is important that you see the dentist. The treatment for bleeding gums will involve a cleaning process called root planing and scaling. The dentist may also prescribe antibiotics to help fight infection.

How to prevent Bleeding Gums ?

Good oral hygiene (brushing and flossing) is the single most important thing you can do to prevent bleeding gums. Other steps include avoiding the use of tobacco products and regular visits to your dentist (at least once in six months)

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2. RECEDING GUMS

What causes Receding Gums?

Receding gums are usually preceded by bleeding gums. The major causes of receding gums are poor oral hygiene, smoking or chewing tobacco, having gum disease in your family, high stress levels, diabetes and a diet high in sugar content or that is low in vitamins and minerals.

How are Receding Gums treated ?

To determine the problem, your dentist will look out for bleeding gums, plaque or tartar build up, gums pulling away from teeth and any growth between your teeth and gums. The treatment usually will involve cleaning process called root planing and scaling. However, the dentist will opt for following surgical procedures in case the infections are not controlled by the cleaning process

• Gingivectomy to remove any growth or pockets between the teeth and gums (to prevent plaque build-up).
• A flap procedure to clean the roots of a tooth and repair bone damage.
• Extraction to remove loose or very damaged teeth.
• The dentist may also prescribe antibiotics to help fight infection.

How to prevent Receding Gums?

Good oral hygiene (brushing, flossing and an antibacterial mouth wash) is important to prevent occurrence or re-occurrence of receding gums. Other steps include avoiding the use of tobacco products and regular visit to your dentist (least once in six months).

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3. PLAQUE/TARTAR

What causes Plaque/Tartar?

Plaque is a sticky film that is constantly formed on your teeth especially after have eaten. They contain bacteria that can cause tooth decay and gum disease. If the plaque is not cleaned regularly it can form into a hard substance called tartar between your teeth and gum. Once you have tartar, you need to see a dentist for treatment.

How is Plaque/Tartar treated ?

Plaque especially in early stages can be treated at home through proper and regular brushing, flossing and mouthwash. If the plaque has transformed into tartar an appointment with dentist maybe necessary. The dentist may

• Perform cleaning process called root planing and scaling
• Consider fluoride treatments that are administered through custom trays that fit over your teeth
• Recommend antibacterial treatments involving mouth rinse and antibiotics

How to prevent Plaque/Tartar?

Good oral hygiene (twice a day brushing, flossing and an antibacterial mouth wash) is important to prevent occurrence or re-occurrence of plaque and tartar. Other steps include avoiding frequent snaking, having tooth-healthy food such as fruits/vegetables and regular visit to your dentist (least once in six months).

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1. UNEVEN/CROWDED TEETH

What causes uneven/crowded teeth?

When the teeth are squeezed together, they look uneven and appear crowded. Crowding or misalignment teeth are often hereditary. It can also be caused due to the difference between the size of the upper and lower jaws. The shape of the jaws or birth defects such as cleft lip and palate may also be reasons for crowded teeth. Apart from aesthetic anomalies, crowded teeth can cause improper bite patterns and difficulty in breathing.

How can you treat uneven/crowded teeth?

Usually crowded teeth are accompanied with frequent biting of cheeks and tongues, discomfort in chewing or biting, speech problems or breathing difficulties. If you suspect crowded teeth, you should consult an orthodontist. An orthodontist can help you in multiple ways, one of the most common treatments would be with braces or clear aligners to correct the position of the teeth. However, some severe cases might require removal of teeth to surgically reshape or shorten the jaw.

How can you prevent uneven/crowded teeth?

In most cases, prevention can be difficult as most uneven/crowded teeth cases are hereditary in nature. However, parents can help their kids by limiting the use of pacifiers and bottles, as they are known to cause movements in the jaw. It is good to know that early detection can help cut down on the length of the treatment needed to correct the problem. Parents are recommended to take their kids for an orthodontic evaluation as early as 7 for your child’s orthodontic evaluation.

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2. TOOTH DISCOLORATION

What causes tooth discoloration?

Most common reasons for tooth discoloration are tobacco use, bad oral hygiene and food and drink stains (e.g. cola or coffee). A certain type of medications and trauma from an injury can also cause discoloration. Discoloration could be topical, affecting the entire teeth structure or spots and line on tooth enamel.

How can you treat tooth discoloration?

Discoloration is treated by a teeth whitening procedure. Teeth whitening involves using a bleaching agent to lighten the color of your teeth. Teeth whitening should only be done by a trained dentist as getting it done in beauty salons may put your oral health at risk. It is important to note that you may experience some short-term sensitivity after your treatment and dentist may prescribe certain gels to help you with that. Apart from teeth whitening, dentists can offer you other options such as Laser teeth whitening. For more complicated cases, one can opt for crowns or dental veneers. Veneers are thin shells of medical-grade ceramic that are fixed on to the front surfaces of teeth for smile transformation. As these made from an advanced material that closely resembles the appearance of natural dental enamel.

How can you prevent tooth discoloration?

Tooth discoloration in some cases is unavoidable. However, there are certain steps you can adopt to help you maintain your natural teeth color. Avoiding all forms of tobacco (cigarettes, shisha pipes, chewable tobacco), going slow on foods and drinks that accelerate staining of teeth such as coffee, tea or red wine will help prevent teeth discoloration. Additionally, practice good oral hygiene by brushing, flossing, and scheduling an appointment with a dentist once every 6 months for a professional cleaning.

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3. GUMMY SMILE

What causes gummy smile?

Gummy smile is when a person’s excessive gum tissue overshadows the upper teeth. This happens as a result from the improper eruption of the teeth. The teeth covered by excessive gum tissue can make the teeth look shorter, even though they might be the proper length. Gummy smile can also be due to an underlying orthodontic problem like excessive bulging protrusion of the upper jaw.

How can you treat gummy smile?

Your orthodontist will first determine the reason for the gummy smile. He will do this by examining impression of your teeth and gums and using an x-ray to better understand the tooth and jaw bone structures. Mild to moderate gummy smiles can often be treated with braces or clear aligners such as Invisalign. Braces help gums and teeth to move up and thus remodeling the upper jawbone. In cases of severe gummy smiles, maxillo facial interventions such as surgical sculpting of the gingival tissues or bone repositioning are done to improve your smile.

How to Prevent gummy smile?

Most of gummy smiles conditions are caused by genetics. Chronic mouth breathing or thumb sucking habits could also lead to gummy smiles. Get help from a pedodontist to deal with oral habits among kids.

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1. CAVITIES

What causes cavities?

Cavities are caused by acid making bad bacteria that feeds on left-over food in our mouth. These acids can dissolve the minerals that make your tooth enamel porous and tiny holes will start to appear. After a while, these acids causes the tiny holes in the enamel to get bigger until one large hole appears causing cavities.

How can you treat cavities?

Once a cavity is formed the only way to repair it is by filling the cavity with a suitable restorative material. This treatment can take from 30 minutes to one hour. Your dentist would fill the cavity with a restorative material (resin) with a color that closely matches that of a natural tooth. In case of deep cavities that has infected the pulp or nerve tissue of the tooth, a root canal treatment would be recommended to save the foundation of the tooth.

How can you prevent cavities?

Good oral hygiene (brushing and flossing) is the single most important thing you can do to prevent cavities. Other steps include limiting sugary foods and drinks, avoiding the use of tobacco products and regular visit to your child’s dentist (at least once in six months).

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2. GUM DISEASE

What causes gum disease?

Gum disease is caused when germs attack the tissue around the teeth. It is usually caused by poor oral hygiene, medication, stress or genetics. The medical terminology gum disease is gingivitis and it is the first stage of gum disease along with bad breath or swollen gums. It is normally a painless condition and hence there is a tendency for people to ignore it. In rare cases, gum disease can be a symptom for a more serious blood disorder.

How is Gum disease treated?

Gum disease usually happen due to inadequate plaque removal. So, the best treatment for gum disease is prevention! If there is swelling of gums or regular bleeding while brushing it is important that you see the dentist. The treatment for gum disease will involve cleaning process called root planning and scaling. The dentist may also prescribe antibiotics to help fight infection.

How to prevent gum disease?

Good oral hygiene (brushing and flossing) is the single most important thing you can do to prevent gum disease. Other steps include regular visit to your child’s dentist (at least once in six months)

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3. TOOTH ACHE

What causes tooth ache?

Toothache happens when the innermost layer of the tooth (dental pulp) becomes inflamed. The pulp is made up of sensitive nerves and blood vessels. Pulp inflammation and the tooth ache that follows is caused by cavities, receding gums or bacterial infection.

How are Tooth Aches Treated ?

It is recommended that you see your dentist if the pain is persisting for more than a day. The dentist will examine your teeth, mouth and take an X-Ray of required. The treatment would depend on the underlying condition that is causing the tooth ache – filling, root canal treatment, extraction or fluoride application

How to prevent Tooth Aches?

Good oral hygiene (brushing and flossing) is the single most important thing you can do to prevent tooth aches. Other steps include limiting your sugar intake and regular visit to your child’s dentist (at least once in six months)

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1. TEETH GRINDING

What causes Teeth Grinding?

Grinding of teeth and clenching of jaws (also known as bruxism) are often caused by stress/anxiety, misaligned teeth or due to sleep disorders such as sleep apnea. People with this condition often grind their teeth unintentionally during their sleep or when they are under stress. Hence, it is important to look out for symptoms if you suspect this condition. Flattened and worn-out tooth, tooth sensitivity, locked jaw, sleep disruption, dull headache are among some of the common symptoms.

How are Teeth Grinding treated?

Minor levels of grinding may not require treatment. Also, in children, the mild grinding is usually associated with the eruption of milk teeth or adult teeth and it stops after the teeth are fully formed. However, if you feel grinding is persistent and notice common symptoms you should see a dentist. The dentist may prescribe a mouth guard or mouth splint that will help reduce pain and prevent further damage to your teeth. The dentist may also be able to treat underlying conditions such sleep apnea or refer you to a therapist to deal with stress. However, in some people, teeth grinding can result in loose, fractured or worn-out teeth. In such casesbridges, crowns, root canals, implants, partial dentures, and even complete dentures may be needed.

How to prevent Teeth Grinding?

The important steps that can help prevent teeth grinding are to reduce stress, avoid coffee, tea or alcoholic drinks before bedtime and good sleeping habits. It is also essential that you schedule regular dental appointments as dentists can identify early signs of teeth grinding and intervene if required.

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2. TMD/TMJ

What causes TMD/TMJ?

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the hinge that connects the jaw to the skull. Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a condition affecting this hinge and movement of the jaw. It is normally accompanied by jaw pain, ear pain, clicking or popping sound when you move your jaw, difficulty opening your mouth or frequent locking of jaw when you open the mouth. Major causes of TMD/TMJ are arthritis, stress, impact injury to head or face and teeth and grinding of teeth.

How are TMD/TMJ treated?

In some cases, the symptoms of TMD may subside without any treatment. Treatment options for TMD include non-surgical and surgical options depending on the severity of symptoms. Non-surgical interventions consist ofOral splints, mouth guards, dental work such as crowns and braces to correct he bite and pain medication using TENS, Ultrasound or pain-killers. If these treatments do not help, you will need to see a Specialist Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon who will plan surgical procedure to treat the condition.

How to prevent TMD/TMJ?

Improving your self-awareness is essential to spot and treat TMD/TMJ conditions. Watch out for jaw clenching, teeth grinding and pencil chewing habits as they tend to be as a result of stress and tension-related habits. If your condition is mild, eating soft foods, avoiding chewing gums, avoiding sticky foods and apply heat or cold pack on the face will provide you relief and help reduce the occurrence.

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3. BROKEN JAW

What causes Broken Jaw?

Apart from the nose, jaws are the most injury-prone area of the face. Broken jaws are usually caused by vehicle accidents, falls, assault and sports-related injuries. Most common symptoms are jaw-pain, swelling, teeth not fitting properly, numbness on lower lip or chin.

How are Broken Jaw treated?

If it is a dislocated jaw, a doctor may move the jaw manually to put it in place. Doctors often use local anesthesia and muscle relaxants to reduce pain and help loosen up muscles to allow easy manipulation of the jaw. Many of the jaw fractures are stable and hence the treatment required is wiring the upper and lower teeth together. You will be put on soft or liquid diet until the fractures are healed. In case of unstable fractures, a surgeon will use plates to join together the broken jaw bones.

How to prevent Broken Jaw?

Wearing protective helmets and mouth guards during sporting activities can help prevent sport-related broken jaws. Other common-sense preventive methods such as driving carefully and wearing a seatbelt can reduce the chances of broken jaws related to vehicle accidents.

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1. BAD BREATH

What causes Bad Breath?

Poor oral hygiene is the primary cause of bad breath. Certain foods, tobacco products, medications and health conditions such as dry mouth can also cause bad breath. It is often difficult to assess how your own breath smells, so it is useful to seek help from a close friend or family to confirm your bad breath condition. You can also do a test yourself by licking inside your wrist with the back of your tongue and checking for the smell once the saliva is dried.

How is Bad Breath treated?

Improving your oral hygiene by brushing, flossing, tongue cleaning and using an antibacterial mouthwash are usually sufficient to treat bad breath. You should see your dentist if the bad breath persists even after improving your oral hygiene practices. Your dentist will be able to determine and treat if the bad breath is caused due to dental problems such as gum disease, dry mouth, plaque or cavities. If bad breath is caused by a non-dental problem, your dentist will refer you to a physician.

How to prevent Bad Breath?

Good oral hygiene (twice a day brushing, flossing, tongue cleaning and an antibacterial mouthwash) is important to prevent occurrence or re-occurrence of Bad Breath. Other steps include avoiding tobacco products, limiting foods with strong odors (onion and garlic) and drinking lots of water and regular visit to your dentist (at least once in six months).

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2. DRY MOUTH

What causes Dry Mouth?

Dry mouth is a common problem often seen in individuals with impaired production of saliva from medications, radiation treatment or diseases that can damage the salivary glands (Nerve Damage, Alzheimers disease, diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, Parkinsons disease, or Stroke). Other causes of dry mouth include insufficient water intake, Dehydration from physical activity, Mouth breathing or smoking, Dehydration from high intake of caffeine or alcohol (e.g., coffee, energy drinks and soft drinks)

How is Dry Mouth treated?

Your dentist will be able to determine what's causing your dry mouth. Treating the underlying cause such as changing medications that causing dry mouth or taking saliva substitutes and stimulants may improve your symptoms. Drinking plenty of water, sucking on sugar-free candy or chewing gum are other brushing with fluoride toothpaste are other steps you can take to improve saliva flow.

How to prevent Dry Mouth?

Apart from the discomfort, dry mouth also increases the risk of gum diseases; mouth infections and it can also make it difficult to wear dentures. There are a number of steps you can take to reduce symptoms of dry mouth such as avoiding caffeine and alcohol (including mouthwash that contains alcohol), tobacco products and sugary, salty and spicy foods which can cause irritation.

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3. ORAL CANCER SCREENING

What causes Oral Cancer?

Tobacco users are usually at the biggest risk of developing oral cancer. People with a history of alcohol, excessively have their lips exposed to sun or having a family history of cancer or weakened immune system are at risk of developing oral cancer. Oral cancer can occur on lips, tongue, cheeks, the floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, and pharynx (throat), can be life-threatening if not diagnosed and treated early. You should consult a doctor if you have a mouth sore that does not go away in few weeks.

How can you treat Oral Cancer?

Oral cancer is treated the same way many most other cancers are treated. The treatment normally starts with the surgical removal of cancerous growth. Radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy may follow to destroy any remaining cancer cells. Treatment protocol for oral cancer would depend on the location and stage, as well as your overall health. The treatment may vary in each case, some may require just one type of treatment, while others might have to undergo a combination of cancer treatments.

How to prevent Oral Cancer?

With small changes in the lifestyle, one can prevent or reduce the risk of oral cancer. Stopping the use any tobacco products can help immensely. Additionally, factors such as having a well-balanced diet, drinking alcohol in moderation and limiting your exposure to the sun can also help reduce your risk to oral cancer. Scheduling regular dental check-up can help spot sores that difficult to see on your own. Early detection can improve the chances of successful treatment.

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1. SNORING

What causes Snoring?

Snoring is caused when tongue, mouth, throat or airways vibrate when they are in a relaxed state during your sleep. Snoring is usually found in people who are overweight, smokers, back sleepers, or those who drink too much alcohol. Sometimes it can be caused by a condition called Sleep Apnea (please read the next section for more details).

How is Snoring treated?

Making changes to your lifestyle such as reducing weight, sleeping on the side, avoiding tobacco and alcohol usually help reduce snoring. If lifestyle changes are not helping, you will need to see a doctor. The doctor may recommend a mandibular advancement device to bring your tongue forward, a vestibular shield to make you breathe through the nose or nasal dilators to help you hold your nose open during sleep. In few cases, the surgical procedure is also recommended.

How to prevent Snoring?

Being aware and dealing with the lifestyle factors that contribute to snoring such as maintaining the weight within a BMI of 25, limiting alcohol intake (and avoiding them in the evening), quit smoking and avoiding the use of sleeping pills can help reduce snoring.

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2. SLEEP APNEA

What causes Sleep Apnea?

Sleep Apnea is a condition, which causes interrupted breathing during your sleep. Normal breathing is typically interrupted when our throat muscles relax and the air passage becomes narrow. When this happens, the brain will not get enough oxygen and pulls us out from deep sleep. These repeated sleep interruptions can make you feel very tired during the day. You'll usually have no memory of your interrupted breathing, so you may be unaware you have a problem.

How are Sleep Apnea treated?

A person’s lifestyle is usually a significant contributory factor to the Sleep Apnea condition. Hence making lifestyle changes such as losing weight, reducing alcohol consumption, sleeping on your side all can help improve the condition. Your doctor or a dentist may also prescribe a CPAP machine (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) to help deliver air through a mask to prevent the airway from closing during your sleep. Dentists may also recommend a mouth shield like device called mandibular advancement device. These devices will hold your jaw and tongue forward to create space at the back of the throat to help with breathing when you sleep. Surgery may also be an option if the problem is due to unusual neck structure.

How to prevent Sleep Apnea?

You can reduce the risk of developing the Sleep Apnea condition by making certain lifestyle changes. These include maintaining the weight within a BMI of 25, limiting alcohol intake (and avoiding them in the evening),quit smoking and avoiding the usage of sleeping pills.

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1. CLEFT LIP

What causes Cleft Lip?

The exact causes of cleft lip are still unknown. But studies have indicated that certain changes in their genes cause this deformity. Use of certain medicines (medicines to treat epilepsy) by mothers during the first 3 months of pregnancy is also known to increase the chances of baby born with cleft lip. Recent research have also shown women who some during pregnancy and women with diabetes diagnosed before pregnancy have an increased risk of having a child with a cleft lip with or without cleft palate.

How are Cleft Lip treated?

Surgical repair options are available for both cleft lip and cleft palate. It is recommended that cleft lip repair surgery is done within first 12 months and cleft palate repair is recommended to be done within first 18 months or earlier. A repair surgery will greatly help improve appearance of a child’s face along with breathing, hearing and speech development. Please remember that many kids will require additional procedures such as orthodontic treatment and speech therapy.

How to prevent Cleft Lip?

Evaluation and management of pregnancy exposures such as smoking habit, diabetes as administration of epilepsy medication to mother under supervision of doctors are key to minimize the Cleft Lip or Cleft Pallet deformities. Orofacial clefts, especially cleft lip with or without cleft palate, can be diagnosed during pregnancy by a routine ultrasound.

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2. MUCOCELES

What causes Mucocele?

A mucous cyst, also known as a mucocele, is a fluid-filled swelling that occurs on the lip or the mouth.A mucocele is caused when you accidentally bite or suck on your lower lip or cheek. It can also happen when one gets hit on the face during sports. The mucocele is formed when the ducts carrying saliva to your mouth from the salivary glands are blocked or damaged following a bite or a collision.

How are Mucocele treated ?

Most of the mucoceles are temporary, painless and goes away without any specific treatment or procedure. But if they enlarge and persist, you should see a dentist for advice on next steps. Typically dentists would prescribe one of the following treatment options

• Surgical removal of affected salivary gland using a scalpel.
• Laser removal of affected salivary gland.
• Marsupialization, a technique used to help new duct to form and helps saliva leave the gland

How to prevent Mucocele?

Taking care to avoid sucking of lips and preventing oral injuries by eating properly through chewing the food slowly are important steps to prevent mucocele. To prevent sports-related tooth injuries it is essential to wear mouth guards, face cages and helmets. Good oral hygiene (twice a day brushing, flossing and an antibacterial mouth wash) are also important as tartar can increase the chance of a mucocele.

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3. MOUTH SORES

What causes Mouth Sores?

Mouth sores comes in different shapes and forms. Some may be painful, some may look nasty in certain cases they may point to something serious. If you mouth sores persist for more than 10 days, you should see you dentist. Mouth sores are often caused by bacterial or fungal infections, injury to the mouth, acidic or spicy foods, vitamin deficiencies, hormones, stress, or autoimmune disorders.

How are Mouth Sores treated?

Most of the mouth sores do not last longer than 2 weeks. Your dentist may prescribe pain relievers, apply a topical anesthetic, topical creams or multi-vitamins to deal with the sores. You may also benefit from avoiding hot beverages, practice proper dental care and gargling with cool water to deal with burning sensation or pains. Please note that not all sores are harmless, so it is important that you see the dentist in case the sores last more than 10 days.

How to prevent Mouth Sores?

Good oral hygiene (twice a day brushing with soft bristle toothbrush ), avoiding very hot foods, eating a balanced diet, seeing the dentist if any of the orthodontic or dental appliances placed inside the mouth is irritating your mouth, chewing slowly and managing stress are some of the preventive measures you can take to prevent mouth sores.

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