Diseases of the Mouth

Symptoms and severity of disease of the mouth can vary greatly, ranging from a mild sores that are easily curable to conditions so severe that they are not curable. Many types of disease of diseases of the mouth can be prevented by proper oral hygiene and the maintenance of health and eating habits.

The mildest form of oral disease is mouth sores, which can range from canker sores brought on by irritation or other sources, including food allergies, dental work, or biting parts of the mouth. Viral mouth sores, such as cold sores, are a type of mouth sores that can be contagious. Over the counter medications are available that can often treat these oral diseases. However, in some cases of oral disease you will need a prescription of some type from your Seattle Dentist or Bellevue Dentist.

A most common type of oral disease observed by your Seattle family Dentist or Bellevue Family Dentist is gum disease. The mildest form of gum disease is gingivitis, while periodontitis is a very severe case. If gum disease is left undiagnosed and untreated, it can cause serious problems in your mouth. Periodontitis can result in damage to numerous teeth and cause loss supportive bone structure in the jaw. This may ultimately lead to loss of multiple teeth. Immediate treatment should be done for periodontitis to prevent subsequent problems. You may be referred by one of our Brookside Dental Dentists is your periodontal problems are of such severity that you will need gum or bone surgery. In cases such as this, you will be given a referral to a specialist that is either a periodontist www.cranderegg.com or an oral surgeon depending upon the nature of your oral disease problem. Periodontal disease has been linked to an enhanced susceptibility to heart disease and other systemic problems in the body. See Brookside Dental articles on "Your Smile and Peridontal Health" www.brooksidedental.com/newsletters/brookside-dental-spring-newsletter.pdf and "Gum Disease can Predict Heart Disease" www.brooksidedental.com/newsletters/brookside-dental-winter-newsletter-2004-2005.pdf

The most serious type of disease of the mouth, head and neck is oral cancer. Although cancer can be caused by a many things, those items most frequently implicated in oral cancer are smoking tobacco and chewing tobacco. The early detection of oral cancer is vital to proper treatment and possible cure. Your Seattle Dentists and Bellevue Dentists have been trained to detect head, neck, and oral cancers. Any suspicious growths or conditions will have a biopsy taken and sent to a laboratory for microscopic diagnosis. All types of oral diseases should be treated as soon as possible. The dentists at Brookside Dental strongly suggest that patients discontinue the use of smoking tobacco and chewing tobacco which have been linked to several types of oral cancer. Good overall oral health and frequent visits to your family dentist should help prevent deterioration of normal oral structures by diseases in the mouth such as gingivitis.

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