While the general appearance of your teeth and oral hygiene will have a dramatic impact on your overall appearance, oral health complaints are far more common than most of us would like to believe. What’s more, in many cases, merely brushing twice a day is not enough to keep cavities, gum disease, and other complaints at bay. While specific oral health issues can be stubborn and extremely discomforting, we have listed the most common complaints along with their suitable solutions to ensure you can achieve and maintain a bright white smile.
Nagging toothache
Toothache can be caused by several variances that can range from a tiny cavity to a hidden crack and everything in between. However, making a dentist appointment and waiting for the appointment day to arrive may leave you suffering from a nagging ache for several days. While you can make an emergency dental appointment with emergency dental Utah County dentists, depending on the severity of the toothache, you might be able to alleviate the ache with a saltwater rinse.
In addition to a warm salt water rinse, it is recommended to floss thoroughly to remove any trapped food particles that may aggravate the discomfort. If the stubborn pain persists, you can consider an over-the-counter pain medication to assist with pain management until you can visit your dentist. However, in such instances, it is best to make an emergency appointment instead of relying on pain medications.
Unsightly yellow stains
When it comes to keeping your teeth as bright and white as they should be, avoiding yellowing stains can often feel like a futile effort. While this is simply because the standard fluoride toothpaste solution is not capable of keeping your teeth white, your dietary habits will also have a massive impact on the condition of your teeth. This is because there are near countless foods that cause yellowing stains and the degradation of tooth enamel.
While you can avoid the build-up of unsightly yellow stains by making adjustments to your diet and avoiding foods that are harmful such as coffee, tea, sugary foods, and others, you should also consider quitting habits such as smoking. To effectively remove stains from your teeth, you will need to make an appointment with your dentist to do a thorough cleaning. Depending on the severity of the stains, your dentist may recommend a whitening treatment as well. It is best to avoid DIY whitening kits as the chemical solutions are often harmful.
Cavities and the build-up of plaque
Unfortunately, the build-up of plaque causes painful little holes to emerge in your teeth and neglecting the issue for too long means growing cavities and plaque build-up that develops into more and more of a concerning issue. The build-up of plaque will inevitably lead to the destruction of your teeth’s enamel, leading to extreme tooth and gum sensitivity. For this reason, brushing and flossing are vital.
However, if cavities and plaque build-up are an existing problem, you will need to book an appointment with your dentist as fillings or root canals are likely necessary. It is vital to avoid the issues re-emergence, which is why you will need to devote time to a suitable oral hygiene routine even if you have visited the dentist and mended the pesky little holes in your teeth.
Painful cracks and chips
If you have ever cracked or chipped a tooth while eating or through other means such as an injury, you will relate to the sheer immediate pain felt. There’s no doubt that the only solution to a chipped or cracked tooth is to book an emergency appointment with your dentist as the pain associated with chips and cracks is quite extreme. You may also need to opt for pain medication to ease the problem depending on the severity.
Leaving a chip or crack in your teeth is never recommended, even if the pain subsides. This is because plaque will immediately start to build-up, and the damaged edges in the enamel of your tooth will start to decay. More often than not, chips or cracks that are neglected will flare up frequently, which means you will be re-emerged in immense pain from time to time. What’s more, you will also have difficulty eating and drinking liquids and foods that are hot or cold as the injury will not be able to heal itself.
Tooth and gum sensitivity
If you are plagued by immense pain in your teeth and gums after consuming liquids or foods that are either hot or cold, you are experiencing tooth or gum sensitivity. While there are several causes for this common oral health complaint, avoiding triggering foods and liquids is not a suitable solution. Before you can mend the issue, you will need to determine the cause, which is why you will need to consult your dentist.
Once you have established the cause, your dentist will be able to best advise you regarding a treatment plan and suitable toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, and mouthwash recommendations. In some cases, tooth and gum sensitivity can be an ongoing issue, which is why select oral hygiene products will be required.
Skew and crooked teeth
Skew and crooked teeth may seem to be no more than a cosmetic issue, although several oral hygiene issues can arise from skew teeth. If your teeth are not ideally straight, you may be more likely to experience chips and cracks while the build-up of plaque can also pose as an ongoing issue.
Your dentist will recommend mouth braces or implement other means of long-term treatments to straighten your teeth over time. In severe cases, dentists may recommend opting for crowns or treatments that remove the teeth before rebuilding a straight smile for you. Even though many of us believe that the position of our teeth is merely cosmetic, it is best to evaluate the risk of skew teeth with your dentist. Even if your teeth are only slightly skewed, you will find that fixing the issue will boost your confidence dramatically. Even procedures such as bite correction can be extremely beneficial for confidence and self-esteem.
Tommy Williamson did his degree in psychology at the University of Edinburgh. He has an ongoing interest in mental health and well-being.
