Dangerous Oral Health Problems You May Not Know

Oral health issues are often apparent right away, with symptoms like pain, bleeding, and foul breath. However, some of them may be hidden. Over time, they could lead to serious complications like heart problems, jaw infections, pneumonia, arthritis, and more. Here’s what you need to know about these invisible dental problems, their risk factors, and their treatments.

Gum Disease

Gum disease operates undetected. It starts with plaque buildup, which is a colorless film made of bacteria from the food and drinks you consume. If it continues to build up, it can irritate and cause the gums to swell.

A common misconception in oral health is that bleeding during brushing and flossing is normal, so it’s often ignored. However, bleeding gums are a telltale sign of early-stage gum disease or gingivitis. If gingivitis is left unchecked, its infection can spread to the tissues that hold the teeth into the bone. That can cause tooth loss and pus buildup.

Gum disease’s infection can spread beyond the mouth as well. Various papers have linked gum disease with heart disease, as the bacteria it spreads may create inflammation that blocks blood flow in your arteries. You can inhale the bacteria in your lungs and cause it to become infected. It is called aspiration pneumonia, and it’s quite common in older adults with oral health issues.

Wisdom Teeth Issues

Wisdom teeth are your final set of molars that you get during your teens or early twenties. They often grow misaligned, causing damage to the surrounding teeth, jawbone, and nerves. Wisdom teeth can also partially break through your gums, causing bacteria to invade it and create problems like tooth decay and gum disease.

Like any health issue, the best way to deal with oral problems is to prevent them. Brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash every day are a must. If possible, avoid gum disease risk factors like smoking. Most importantly, visit your dentist for regular cleaning and checkups. They’re trained to spot these invisible dental issues.

Cavities

Cavities may often come with tooth sensitivity, consistent pain, and visible decay. However, some instances of it may not be apparent. The bacteria may just infect the root of your tooth. This root is buried in your jawbone. If the infection can’t make its way out through your tooth, it may move to other parts of your head. That can cause a host of painful—and even deadly—problems.

The bacteria could infect your jaw, which has troublesome symptoms like redness and swelling in the affected area, drainage of pus, and pain every time you move your mouth. In very rare cases, the infection may spread to the brain, causing headaches, weakness, seizures, muscle weakness, or worse: death.

If you feel like your wisdom teeth are growing, don’t hesitate to ask for an x-ray to confirm your suspicions. You may need surgery to remove those pesky molars. Your oral health significantly affects your overall one. As such, it’s crucial to prevent or treat dental problems, no matter how small they are.