{"id":415,"date":"2023-08-11T19:39:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-11T19:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stephenscitydental.com\/blog\/?p=415"},"modified":"2023-09-25T19:39:12","modified_gmt":"2023-09-25T19:39:12","slug":"common-oral-health-conditions-to-watch-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stephenscitydental.com\/blog\/2023\/08\/11\/common-oral-health-conditions-to-watch-for\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Common Oral Health Conditions You Should Guard Against"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"A<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Your oral health<\/a> is a vital component of your overall well-being. Neglecting it can lead to a range of issues that can affect not only your teeth but your entire body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continue reading to find five common oral health conditions you should be aware of and take steps to guard against. Understanding these conditions is the first step towards maintaining a healthy smile and a happy body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

1. Tooth Decay<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Whenever you eat food, the ground-up particles break down to form a velvety plaque on the surface of your teeth. This plaque harbors harmful bacteria that metabolize with sugar to form acid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When this acid is left on your pearly whites for too long, it begins to slowly eat away at the outer layer of your teeth\u2014the enamel. The tiny holes left behind by acidic plaque are called cavities, and they are the most common oral health condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If left untreated, cavities will grow and spread through the mouth, infecting other teeth and causing them to rot as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Gum Disease<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Also known as Periodontal disease, this condition is caused by the same bacterial plaque that causes decay. As the plaque is left to sit on the teeth, it slowly makes its way down into the gumline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As these bacteria move deeper into the gums and are left to rest, they multiply and begin to cause an infection. This is characterized by red, swollen, and tender gums that can be itchy and painful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Missing Teeth<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As you read through this list, you\u2019ll start to see that all of these conditions are connected in some way. For instance, leaving gum disease untreated can lead to missing teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your infected gums become more inflamed, they can start to loosen around your teeth. Healthy pink gums hold onto your teeth with a special \u201cperiodontal membrane.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the disease in your gumline worsens, this membrane loses its grip on your teeth, causing them to fall out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Tooth Trauma<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Trauma to the oral cavity\u2014your mouth, lips, tongue, and teeth\u2014is incredibly common and difficult to prevent. You can\u2019t walk around in a helmet with a mouthpiece every day, after all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Slips and falls, car accidents, fistfights, and sports injuries are all sources of tooth trauma. This can cause them to be cracked, chipped, or even knocked out entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Oral Cancer<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While not as common as some of the other conditions on this list, oral cancer is very serious. It makes up about three percent of all cancer diagnoses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oral cancer commonly forms in the tongue and floor of the mouth, but can also often spread to your lips, gums, tonsils, or other parts of your mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The average 5-year survival rate for all oral cancers is around 68%. Several variables can influence the survival rate, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n