The
battle is engaged. The combatants are tiny, but the war will be
waged for decades. Unfortunately, it is a war, which will have many
casualties. This is the war of the mouth. The enemy is PLAQUE, a
colony or groups of numerous bacteria that live in the oral cavity.
They are the culprits behind the many problems we experience with
our mouths over the years. The battle begins with the eruption of
the first tooth.
Plaque begins to attack the teeth and gums in our infancy and
continues throughout childhood, teen years, adulthood and old age.
We cannot see the enemy (plaque) until an appreciable amount builds
up on the teeth and even then, it appears benign.
It
does not hurt, in fact may even be unnoticeable, but it can lead to
horrific consequences if left unchecked. Bad breath (halitosis),
tooth decay (cavities), gingivitis (gum swelling, bleeding),
periodontal disease (destruction of gum and bone) which causes tooth
loss; all of these conditions are caused by the presence of plaque.
The teeth are just one part of a larger system, which includes the
teeth and its supporting structures, the gums, the jawbones and the
periodontal ligaments, (which hold the teeth to the bone).
Collectively; this system is called the PERIODONTIUM.
Thus, all of the above mentioned conditions are diseases of the
periodontium. The war I speak of is relentless and many of us loose
the daily battles because it goes on painlessly. By the time one
complains of a toothache, the damage is sometimes too extensive to
save the tooth. Most people are familiar with cavities because they
start at an early age in most children. There are a few things we
can do to prevent cavities such as adequate brushing, daily flossing
and most importantly, professional dental cleanings and checkups.
This is a two-fold approach of (1), homecare and (2), help from your
Dental Professional in early detection and treatment.
I like to relate cavities to a concept most can understand; a cavity
is like a cancer growing in which if left untreated will get larger
and eventually destroy the tooth. Not only can it get larger but can
cause immense pain, jaw swelling, abscesses, pus formation; and, the
longer you wait the worse it gets. The results of many years of
neglect is what causes people to require expensive dental care such
as root canals, caps or crowns, extractions and dentures. Before it
is too late, schedule an appointment with your dental professional;
an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Learn how to win
the battle of the mouth. You can keep your teeth for a lifetime; the
key to keeping your teeth is early detection and treatment long
before the problem becomes painful.
Dental care cannot be relegated to the out of sight, out of mind
category if one wishes to retain their teeth. One of the primary
reasons many of us do not get dental care is a lack of perceived
need. Unfortunately the need may be present in spite of the absence
of pain or apparent symptoms. Don’t loose the daily battles out of
fear or apprehension, neglect or thinking that you know everything
about your own teeth; you don’t. Only your Dentist knows for sure.
Don’t loose the war of the mouth.
