Common Teeth Problems for Adults and Children

Tooth Decay
Tooth decay (caries) is a preventable disease. It may badly impact the quality of life. Long standing tooth decay, which leads to abscess, has even on rare occasion become life threatening. 

When teeth and gums are exposed to large amounts of sugars, acids form and begins to damage tooth enamel. Carbohydrate-rich foods such as candy, cookies, soft drinks (sodas) and even fruit juices (they are loaded with sugar!) leave deposits on the teeth. Those deposits bond with the bacteria in your mouth and form plaque. The combination of deposits and plaque becomes acids that damage the mineral structure of teeth. Tooth decay is the result.

Sensitive Teeth
Just breathing cold air can be painful for people with extremely sensitive teeth, because teeth expand and contract in reaction to changes in temperature. Hot and cold food and beverages cause pain to people with sensitive teeth. Over a longer period of time, tooth enamel can be worn down, gums may recede or teeth may develop microscopic cracks, exposing the interior of the tooth and irritating nerve endings.

Gum Disease
Gum, or periodontal, disease often causes inflammation, resulting in tooth loss, and even bone damage. Gum disease starts with a sticky coating of bacteria called 'Plaque'. Gums in the early stage of disease (gingivitis) can bleed easily and become red and swollen. As the disease progresses to 'Periodontitis', teeth may fall out or need to be removed. Gum disease is highly preventable. It can be avoided by daily brushing and flossing. One indicator of gum disease is consistent bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth.

Bad Breath (Halitosis)
Daily brushing and flossing helps to prevent the development of plaque and bacteria in your mouth. Food particles left in the mouth cause bad breath. While certain foods, such as garlic, may create temporary bad breath, consistent bad breath may be a sign of gum disease or another dental problem.

Canker Sores
Canker sores (aphthous ulcers) can be quite painful. They have a white or gray base surrounded by a red border. Cancer sores are small sores inside the mouth that often recur and they generally last one or two weeks. Use antimicrobial mouthwashes or topical agents to reduce the duration of canker sores.

Orthodontic Problems
A bite that does not meet properly (malocclusion) may be acquired or can be inherited. Some causes of a 'wrong' bite include missing or extra teeth, crowded teeth or misaligned jaws. Also, thum sucking over a longer period of time, accidents or developmental issues, may cause malocclusions.