Dental Health Chapter 23

Oral Health Oral health affects biting, chewing, smiling, speaking, and psychosocial wellbeing Oral pain can cause: Poor school performance in children Work loss in adults Difficulty chewing and poor nutrition Costly emergency department visits Dental decay and tooth loss can lead to: Self-image issues Speech and language development problems Costly restoration The mouth is a gateway. Taking care of the mouth helps keep the rest of the body healthy.

Oral Disease Dental caries is the most common chronic disease of childhood. It is 4-5 times more common than asthma. In Cleveland schools, 25-30% have untreated decay; Gum disease affects 47% of U.S. Adults. 50,000 oral cancers are diagnosed annually. Oral cancer causes 10,000 deaths a year. Diagnosis is often late; early detection is key

Dental Careers Dental Assistant The person working with the dentist. Assistants increase the efficiency of the dentist by: preparing the patient for treatment sterilizing instruments passing instruments during the procedure or holding suction devices taking impressions and x-rays polish teeth or make temporary crowns One or two year program in a community college or vocational technical school and a certification.

Dental Careers Dental Laboratory Technician They seldom work with clients. They usually work in labs and follow written instructions from the dentist to create dental prostheses (artificial devices) such as: Dentures, artificial crown and bridges, veneers, and orthodontic appliances and splints. Most techs are trained on the job but there are training programs that are one to two years in length that can also lead to an associates degree.

Dental Careers Dental Hygienist Person that provides oral hygiene care and dental health education to the patient. Minimum of an associates degree and must be licensed by the state they work in.

Dental Careers Dentist have the training to: Dentist Diagnose and treat diseases of the teeth and supporting tissues, the tongue, lips, and jaw. Restore teeth damaged by decay or trauma. Replace missing teeth with artificial material. Straighten teeth and perform cosmetic procedures. Perform corrective surgery Perform oral hygiene procedures and educate clients. Dentist Usually 8 years of education beyond high school including a bachelors degree and four years of dental school. After completing dental school dentist receive a doctorate in dental medicine. Dentist can specialize in a certain area usually requiring postgraduate education of 2 to 4 years.

Teeth growth Humans have 2 sets of teeth: primary teeth and permanent teeth. Primary teeth also known as baby teeth consist of 20 teeth. They emerge at about 6 months and all have emerged by the time a child is 2-2 ½ years of age. Between the age of 6 and 12, the primary teeth become lose, fall out, and are replaced by permanent teeth. Permanent teeth consist of 32 teeth that begin to erupt around age 6. All permanent teeth have erupted by age 12 to 14 (with the acceptation of the 3rd molar that never falls out).

Did you know that early loss of your baby teeth could cause problems? Often baby teeth are lost early as a result of tooth decay or accidents. This early loss creates a space. This space needs to be saved in order for the permanent tooth to come in straight. The dentist can save the space by putting in a space maintainer (spacer). When the permanent tooth is ready to come in, the space maintainer is removed.

Late loss of baby teeth can also cause problems... Sometimes permanent teeth come in before baby teeth come out. This can cause teeth to become crowded and overlap each other. Crowded and overlapping teeth can cause gum disease and tooth decay because these crowded areas of the mouth are hard to clean. If these baby teeth do not become loose on their own, the dentist may have to remove them. The permanent teeth are white, the baby teeth are gray.

Teeth Classification Teeth are positioned in the maxilla arch and mandible arch. Each arch is divided by the midline, which separated the oral cavity into quadrants: Maxillary left & right quadrant Mandible left & right quadrant Each quadrant has the same type and number of teeth. Teeth are classified as either anterior (at the front of the mouth, covered by the lips) or posterior (back of the mouth, covered by the cheeks). Starting at the midline and moving posteriorly, the permanent teeth of one quadrant are: Central incisor Lateral incisor Canine First premolar Second premolar First permanent molar Second permanent molar Third molar (wisdom tooth)

Teeth Classification Teeth are classified according to their form and function into 4 types: Incisors: Have a relatively sharp edge used to cut, or “incise”, food. Canines: also known as cuspids, have one pointed cusp used for holding and tearing food. Premolars: Generally have two cusp and a larger surface used to help chew food. Molars: generally have four cusps and are very broad surfaces used for chewing, crushing, and grinding food.

Tooth Anatomy Each tooth has 2 main parts, the crown and the root. The crown is the portion of the tooth normally visible in the oral cavity. The root is embedded in the bone.

Tooth Anatomy The tooth is made up of 3 layers: Enamel: The outer layer of the crown of the tooth. This is the hardest tissue in the body and is white in color. It is harder than bone, but the body cannot repair or add to it. Can be damaged by decay or worn away by chewing forces, abrasion, and chemical erosion. Cementum: the thin outer layer of the root of the tooth. Tissue is hard like bone but not as white as enamel. Pulp: the innermost tissue of the tooth. Soft tissue that is composed of blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. Nourishes the tooth and acts as a defense system. At the tooth ages, the amount of pulp becomes smaller.

Cavities Cavities are caused by PLAQUE! What is PLAQUE? An invisible film of germs that grows on your teeth. It feels fuzzy. When you rub your tongue on your teeth, do they feel fuzzy? You brush your teeth to remove PLAQUE!

Cavities This plaque contains “germs” (bacteria). Sugar from foods and drinks are turned into acid by these germs. This acid attacks our teeth and softens the hard surface until a hole or cavity is formed. Mestman, Herman, What To Do For Healthy Teeth

X X X Cavities How can you prevent them? Avoid sugary, sticky foods or snacks, and choose nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables and cheese Avoid drinking soda or other sugary drinks, and drink more milk & water Avoid snacking all day long, and limit the amount of snacks you have throughout the day X X

Cavities Does a cavity heal itself? No - only your dentist can fix a cavity, by removing the decay and putting a special filling material in the hole.

Plaque & Tartar When plaque is left on your teeth for a while, harmful “germs” (bacteria) begin to increase and irritate your gum tissues. This causes bleeding and your gums may become sore. This is called gum disease.

To prevent cavities, gum disease and bad breath you need to brush and floss your teeth regularly

When you visit the dentist, several things will probably be done…

#1. A visual exam A dentist will look at your teeth, gums and the way your teeth come together when you bite. The dentist is looking for tooth decay, gum disease, mouth sores & whether or not you might need braces.

# 2 X-rays will be taken of all your teeth. These x-rays will show not only tooth decay, but the roots of the teeth and the bone around them. They will also show any teeth that have not come in yet, and any extra teeth as well.

#3 A Professional Cleaning A dental hygienist will remove any plaque or hard deposits called tartar (or calculus) from your teeth using special instruments. Your teeth will then be polished with a special kind of toothpaste. This will make your teeth feel smooth and clean.

#4 Fluoride Treatment A flavored gel or foam will be placed in a soft tray and You will be asked to bite into That tray for a few minutes. or… The fluoride may be painted on your teeth with a small brush. This is called fluoride varnish. Fluoride is a natural mineral found in the earths crust and some food and water supplies. It is known to be safe and effective at preventing tooth decay. 

To prevent cavities from forming on the chewing surfaces of your permanent molars, the dentist might recommend dental sealants. Sealants are a thin coating of a plastic-like substance that are painted on the teeth. When it hardens, this plastic coating prevents food and germs from getting down into the grooves on the chewing surfaces of your molars and prevents tooth decay!

Chapter 23 Vocabulary Prosthesis Bridge Maxilla Mandible Midline Resorb Anterior Posterior Cusp Impressions