Causes of dental and oral diseases

 

Your oral cavity collects all sorts of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Some of them belong there, making up the normal flora of your mouth. They’re generally harmless in small quantities. But a diet high in sugar creates conditions in which acid-producing bacteria can flourish. This acid dissolves tooth enamel and causes dental cavities.

Bacteria near your gumline thrive in a sticky matrix called plaque. Plaque accumulates, hardens, and migrates down the length of your tooth if it isn’t removed regularly by brushing and flossing. This can inflame your gums and cause the condition known as gingivitis.

Increased inflammation causes your gums to begin to pull away from your teeth. This process creates pockets in which pus may eventually collect. This more advanced stage of gum disease is called periodontitis.

There are many factors that contribute to gingivitis and periodontitis, including:

• smoking
• poor brushing habits
• frequent snacking on sugary foods and drinks
• diabetes 
• the use of medications that reduce the amount of saliva in the mouth
• family history, or genetics
• certain infections, such as HIV or AIDS 
• hormonal changes in women
• acid reflux, or heartburn
• frequent vomiting, due to the acid

Diagnosing dental and oral diseases

Most dental and oral problems can be diagnosed during a dental exam. During an exam, your dentist will closely inspect your:

• teeth 
• mouth
• throat
• tongue
• cheeks
• jaw
• neck

Your dentist might tap or scrape at your teeth with various tools or instruments to assist with a diagnosis. A technician at the dentist’s office will take dental X-rays of your mouth, making sure to get an image of each of your teeth. Be sure to tell your dentist if you’re pregnant. Women who are pregnant shouldn’t have X-rays.

A tool called a probe can be used to measure your gum pockets. This small ruler can tell your dentist whether or not you have gum disease or receding gums. In a healthy mouth, the depth of the pockets between the teeth are usually between 1 and 3 millimeters (mm)Trusted Source. Any measurement higher than that may mean you have gum disease.

If your dentist finds any abnormal lumps, lesions, or growths in your mouth, they may perform a gum biopsy. During a biopsy, a small piece of tissue is removed from the growth or lesion. The sample is then sent to a laboratory for examination under a microscope to check for cancerous cells.

If oral cancer is suspected, your dentist may also order imaging tests to see if the cancer has spread. Tests may include:

• X-ray
• MRI scan
• CT scan 
• endoscopy