Oral and Dental Health
What is Oral and Dental Health?
Oral and dental health refers to the wellness of the mouth, tongue, gums and teeth. Problems in these areas can lead to pain and problems with eating, speaking and problems with self-image. Infections that start in the mouth may also spread causing problems in other areas of the body.
What Are the Symptoms or Oral or Dental Issues?
The most common symptom associated with teeth, gum or mouth issues is pain, but other symptoms can also be present. These include:
- Bad breath
- Trouble chewing or swallowing
- Bleeding
- Sores on the tongue, cheeks, gums or palate
- Pain in other parts of the head
- Swelling of the gums or face
What are the Causes of Oral and Dental Issues?
There are several causes of pain and issues in the mouth, most of which have their origins in the breakdown of the teeth and gums due to poor oral hygiene, age or genetics. Once the enamel of the teeth has been degraded the nerves can be exposed leading to pain. These breaks in the teeth or gaps in the gums due to them receding away from the teeth also provide a way for infection to enter the body. These infections can cause pain, swelling, bad breath and an unwillingness to chew food.
Can Any Complications Arise if left Untreated?
If a cavity is the source of the problem, the complications from leaving it untreated include more pain, greater chance of infection and ultimately the loss of the tooth. If an infection of the gums or surrounding mouth tissue are the problem, left untreated it may spread to other areas of the mouth, potentially damaging the nerves of the teeth, the jawbone and the gums.
What Medications Treat Oral and Dental Problems?
The most common medications used for oral and dental problems are anti-biotics (penicillin and amoxicillin) to treat the infection and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) drugs (ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen) and corticosteroids (hydrocortisone and triamcinolone) to relieve the pain while the anti-biotics is working.
References:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/10909-medications-used-in-dentistry
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tooth-abscess/symptoms-causes/syc-20350901
Common medications may include