Oral Health

Mouth and throat diseases, which range from cavities to cancer, cause pain and disability for millions of Americans each year, yet almost all oral diseases are largely preventable.

Good oral health does not just mean you have pretty teeth. Your whole mouth needs care to be in good health. The word “oral” refers to the mouth, which includes your teeth, gums, jawbone, and supporting tissues.

Your oral health is connected to many other health conditions beyond your mouth. Sometimes the first sign of a disease shows up in your mouth. In other cases, infections in your mouth, such as gum disease, can cause problems in other areas of your body.

When your gums are healthy, bacteria in your mouth usually don't enter your bloodstream. However, gum disease may provide bacteria a port of entry into your bloodstream. Sometimes invasive dental treatments also can allow bacteria to enter your bloodstream. And medications or treatments that reduce saliva flow or disrupt the normal balance of bacteria in your mouth also may lead to oral changes, making it easier for bacteria to enter your bloodstream.

Taking good care of your oral health can prevent disease in your mouth. Oral health can also affect the health of your body. It is easy to take your oral health for granted. But good oral health is key to your overall health.

Many diseases, such as diabetes, HIV, cancer, and some eating disorders, can cause oral health problems. For instance, people with diabetes can develop tooth and gum problems if their blood sugar stays high. Regular dental exams help you maintain good oral health and avoid related health problems.

Types of Oral Health Conditions

Thrush (oral candidiasis) - These fungal infections appear as red or white lesions, flat or slightly raised, in the mouth or throat. They can be caused by overgrowth of the fungus Candida. This fungus lives naturally in your mouth.

Canker sores - These sores are small ulcers inside the mouth. They have a white or gray base and a red border. Women are more likely than men to have canker sores that recur.

Dry mouth (xerostomia) - This problem happens when you don’t have enough saliva in your mouth.

Bad breath (halitosis) - Bad-smelling breath can be caused by a number of different things.

Oral cancer - This cancer can affect any part of the mouth. If you smoke or chew tobacco, you are at higher risk. Alcohol use along with smoking raises your risk even more. Yet more than 25 percent of oral cancer affects nonsmokers.

Diabetes - Diabetes increases your risk of gum disease, cavities, tooth loss, dry mouth and a variety of oral infections.

Pregnancy and birth - Gum disease has been linked to premature birth. This is why it's vital to maintain excellent oral health before you get pregnant and during your pregnancy.

Cardiovascular disease - Research shows that several types of cardiovascular disease may be linked to oral health. These include heart disease, clogged arteries and stroke.

Osteoporosis - The first stages of bone loss may show up in your teeth. Systemic loss of bone density in osteoporosis, including bone in the jaw, may create a condition where the bone supporting your teeth is increasingly susceptible to infectious destruction.

Other oral health conditions - Many other conditions may make their presence known in your mouth before you know anything's wrong. These may include Sjogren's syndrome, certain cancers, eating disorders, syphilis, gonorrhea and substance abuse. Cold sores and canker sores are two other common forms of oral health conditions.

Further Information Regarding Oral Health

Teeth Grinding Linked to Sleep Apnea
It is estimated that 8 percent of the general US population suffers from bruxism, a condition frequently associated with a preexisting dental or jaw disorders, as well as stress. There is a high prevalence of nocturnal teeth grinding, or bruxism, in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), particularly in Caucasians.

Prevent Periodontitis to Reduce Risk of Head and Neck Cancers
Chronic periodontitis, a form of gum disease, is an independent risk factor for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. This suggests the need for increased efforts to prevent and treat periodontitis as a possible means to reduce the risk of this form of cancer.

Tonsillitis Treatment Causes and Symptoms
Tonsillitis refers to inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsils. The inflammation may involve other areas of the back of the throat including the adenoids and the lingual tonsils. The tonsils are lymph nodes, or oval-shaped masses of lymph gland tissue, located on both sides of the throat. An infection of the tonsils is called tonsillitis.

How to Get Rid of Bad Breath Naturally
Halitosis is also known as bad breath. It is an extremely embarrassing problem for many people to deal with. Halitosis is the result of the action taken by bacteria that live in your mouth, tongue, and tonsils. There are many factors that could be the causes of bad breath, and many of the factors that could be causes of bad breath can be dealt with quickly and easily using simple techniques.

Sore Throat - Causes Symptoms and Treatment
A sore throat is a disease primarily located in the area around the tonsils. It is also known as pharyngitis or tonsillitis. The pharynx is the part of the throat that lies between the mouth and the larynx or voice box. It is associated most commonly with the common cold or influenza. While most sore throats heal without complications, in some cases, they develop into a serious illness.

Periodontitis Needs Evaluation for Heart Disease Risk
Additional research is called for and patients with moderate to severe periodontitis should receive evaluation and possible treatment to reduce their risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a special consensus paper by editors of The American Journal of Cardiology and Journal of Peridontology.

Genetic Link Between Periodontitis and Heart Attack
The relationship between the dental disease periodontitis and coronary heart disease (CHD) has been known for several years. Although a genetic link seemed likely, until now its existence was uncertain. Now, for the first time, scientists have discovered a genetic relationship between the two conditions.

Geographic Tongue - Red Patches on the Tongue
Geographic tongue is characterized by red patches on the surface of the tongue surrounded by a grayish white color. Over several days these patches on the tongue may change in shape and/or size. You may also experience burning or stinging on the tongue, especially after eating spicy or citrus foods such as an orange.

Color Changing Strip to Test for Gum Disease
About 80 percent of adults suffer from some form of periodontal, or gum disease, which can result in not just tooth loss, but has also been linked to heart disease, diabetes, blood infection, low birth-weight babies, cancer and most recently, obesity.

Periodontal Disease Can lead to Tooth Loss
Periodontal disease is something that people do not usually begin to show signs of until they reach the age of thirty or forty years. When periodontal disease does begin to show up, men are more likely to develop it than women. While teenagers rarely develop periodontal disease, they may develop gingivitis, which is a milder form of gum disease.

Resolvins may Resolve Periodontal Inflammation and Restore Tissue Health
Resolvins, a new family of biologically active products of omega-3 fatty acids have the therapeutic potential to resolve periodontal inflammation and restore the gums to health.

Obesity and Periodontal Disease
Is there a prospective association between obesity and periodontal disease? Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Puerto Rico, reported their findings during the 87th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research, convening at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Oral Health Connected to Overall Health
Scientists report new studies on the connection between oral disease and systemic disease. A recurring theme is the relationship between periodontal (gum) disease and infant prematurity, diabetes, or stroke.

Canker Sores - Mouth Ulcers
If you've had the unpleasant experience of getting a canker sore then you know the pain it can produce. So, what causes canker sores, and is there any help in prevention of canker sores?

Oral and Gum Health Care
Plaque is the sticky, white substance that forms on teeth, between them and in the area between the teeth and gums, called the sulcus. Quite simply, plaque is the cause of dental disease. Regular brushing just moves this plaque around the mouth and under the gums, whereas the Blotting Technique is the only proven dental hygiene method that actually removes it from the mouth.

Preventing Throat Infections
SORE throat or pharyngitis is a pharynx inflammation resulting from infection, either by a virus or bacteria. A weak immune system and food allergy are the common causes of sore throat. Non-infectious causes are excessive shouting or singing, allergies, environmental irritants and tobacco use.