Billions of people throughout the world suffer from mouth illnesses or defects. Here are some descriptions of the most common mouth defects in the human population.
MOST COMMON PROBLEM? CAVITIES.
Tooth decay is the most common illness in the mouth. Cavities account for more health problems and doctor visits than any other illness. Cavities are caused by bacteria that are always in your mouth. If you don’t take care of your teeth, the bacteria will eat holes in the outer calcium enamel of your teeth, and cavities will form. When cavities aren’t treated, teeth can become infected, and the infection can spread to your sinuses, brain, and heart. It is really important to take care of your teeth.
MOST COMMON BIRTH DEFECT? CLEFT LIP AND CLEFT PALATE
Oral surgeons repair thousands of cleft lips and cleft palates each year. Babies who are born with a cleft palate have a place in the roof of their mouths where the tissues don’t meet, which leaves a hole or space in the palate. Babies who have a cleft lip have a space where the lip tissue and skin don’t fuse together. Often, children have both a cleft lip and a cleft palate.
The surgery to repair both cleft palates and cleft lips is fairly simple. Oral surgeons use several rows of stitches to close the space in the tissues of the lip and the roof of a child’s mouth, usually when the child is around a year old.
MOST COMMON COMPLAINT? GUM DISEASE
Nearly all adults have gum disease to some degree. If you have Stage One of gum disease, you have gingivitis. You can treat your gum disease by better brushing and flossing. However, if you have Stage Two or Three of gum disease, you have periodontitis. When you have gum disease, you notice bleeding and discolored gums, bad breath, and tooth loss due to the disintegration of your gum tissue. While all of these common complaints are troubling, they can be treated through dental visits and dental hygiene.