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Your teeth perform quite the daily hustle, doing everything from flashing your dazzling smile to chewing your favorite foods. Unfortunately, this hard work makes them susceptible to developing problems over time. That's why 3.5 billion people around the world are wrestling with some kind of oral health issue, and a staggering 2 billion of them are grappling with a cavity.1
While dental woes are never fun to deal with, the good news is that most of them can easily be prevented. From tooth sensitivity to chipped teeth and bad breath, we’ll delve into some common dental problems, along with possible causes, treatments and practical prevention tips.
1. Tooth Decay
Tooth decay, which leads to cavities, happens when the bacteria-based plaque on your teeth combines with the sticky, starchy foods you consume. This combination creates acids that attack your tooth enamel and lead to enamel erosion over time.2
Symptoms of tooth decay include smelly breath, black spots on your teeth, tooth pain or a bad taste in your mouth. The best way to prevent tooth decay is to take care of your teeth and gums by brushing and flossing daily and getting twice-yearly dental checkups.2
How to treat tooth decay
Depending on the extent of your tooth decay, treatment can involve fillings, crowns or a root canal.2
2. Gum Disease
Gum disease, referred to as gingivitis in the early stages and periodontitis in the later stages, is an infection of the gums surrounding your teeth. It results from a buildup of plaque under the gumline, which can cause redness, swelling and bleeding.3
Smoking, poor oral hygiene and diabetes can increase your chances of developing gum disease. Receding gums and tooth loss can occur if it's left untreated.3
How to treat gum disease
Gum disease treatment options may include a professional dental cleaning or a deep cleaning, known as scaling and root planing.3 Your dentist might also prescribe antibiotics to treat any infections present.2
3. Tooth Erosion
Tooth erosion, also referred to as enamel erosion, occurs when you eat sugary or acidic foods that damage the enamel of your teeth over time. It can also occur if you brush your teeth too vigorously with a hard-bristled toothbrush.2
When erosion weakens the enamel of your teeth, it makes your teeth more susceptible to damage, including cracks, chips and dents, sometimes referred to as cupping. Sensitive teeth may also result from tooth erosion.2
How to treat tooth erosion
While you can't replace the enamel you've lost, you can slow down the rate of erosion by cutting down on sugary and acidic foods, and by brushing your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Your dentist may also recommend veneers to improve the appearance of your teeth if they have become damaged due to enamel erosion.2
4. Bad Breath
Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is a common — and embarrassing — oral condition. Possible causes include cavities, dry mouth, cancer, poor oral hygiene, medication and acid reflux.2
Sometimes, eating odorous foods like onions and garlic can also lead to bad breath.2
How to treat bad breath
While using mouthwash, avoiding certain foods and drinking plenty of water all offer a temporary fix, treating the underlying issue is usually the best remedy. Your dentist can examine your mouth to determine the cause of your unpleasant breath and how to treat it.2
5. Stained Teeth
As you age, your teeth will become stained and yellow due to the substances you expose them to. Dark-colored foods and drinks, tobacco and some medications can all discolor your teeth over time.4
While most tooth staining is a cosmetic issue, if your teeth appear brown or black, this could indicate tooth decay or a serious tooth infection.4
How to treat stained teeth
Your dentist can remove or lighten most tooth stains with teeth whitening treatments, or you can try an over-the-counter treatment. If the tooth appears infected or decayed, your dentist will recommend the proper treatment for a more serious dental issue.4
6. Tooth Sensitivity
If you're dealing with sensitive teeth, you may feel pain when you expose your teeth to hot or cold food and beverages. Tooth sensitivity typically occurs when the enamel becomes eroded, exposing the delicate dentin inside.2
Because the dentin connects to the nerves of the tooth, severe pain results from contact with extreme temperatures. Causes include gum disease, receding gums, a failing filling, a root infection or a cracked tooth.2
How to treat tooth sensitivity
Depending on the cause, tooth sensitivity treatments may include a root canal, an application of fluoride or a gum graft. Your dentist might also recommend using a desensitizing toothpaste or mouthwash to help reduce your symptoms.2
7. Tooth Abscess
A tooth abscess is a type of infection that forms due to tooth decay, gum disease or damage to the tooth. An abscess occurs when bacteria enter the pulp of the tooth, leading to a buildup of pus at the root.5
Abscesses are typically painful and can lead to infections of the jawbone, surrounding teeth and tissues.5
How to treat a tooth abscess
To treat an abscess, your dentist may recommend antibiotics to get rid of the bacteria, a deep cleaning if gum disease is to blame and draining the abscess itself. If the tooth root infection is due to damage to the tooth, your dentist will have to perform a root canal.5
8. Oral Cancer
Oral cancer can occur in your throat, tonsils and on the back of your tongue. Your dentist will check for signs of oral cancer during your regular exams. Signs include persistent mouth sores, crusty spots that won't go away and white spots.3
Those who use tobacco products or drink alcohol heavily are more prone to develop oral cancer; stopping can help lower your chances of developing this condition. Another cause is human papillomavirus (HPV).3
How to treat oral cancer
Your dentist will refer you to a specialist if they suspect you have oral cancer. Treatments include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.6
9. Dry Mouth
Dry mouth, also referred to as xerostomia, is a condition where your mouth isn't producing enough saliva to keep it moist. It usually results from using medications like antihistamines, decongestants, painkillers and diuretics. The condition can also result from Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease.7
Saliva plays an important role in preventing tooth decay. If you don't have enough saliva, you will be more prone to developing cavities and gum disease. Symptoms of dry mouth include difficulty swallowing, trouble talking, a sore throat or a burning sensation in the mouth.7
How to treat dry mouth
Your dentist will likely recommend artificial saliva products and oral rinses to help treat your dry mouth. Chewing sugar-free gum can also help stimulate saliva production.7
10. Tooth Impaction
When your teeth become crowded and there's no room for a new tooth to emerge, that tooth will become impacted. This can occur when baby teeth are lost before new teeth are ready to grow in, or more commonly, when there is no space for wisdom teeth to emerge due to overcrowding of adult teeth.8
Impacted teeth, especially wisdom teeth, usually become infected because they are trapped under the gumline or in the jaw. They may also partially erupt, allowing harmful bacteria under the gumline.9
How to treat a tooth impaction
Typically, your dentist will remove impacted teeth or simply monitor them if they aren't causing issues like pain and damage to your other teeth.9
11. Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder
You use your temporomandibular joints to open and close your mouth. When the muscles, ligaments, discs and bones on the sides of your head don't function properly to allow you to speak, swallow and chew, you will experience a TMJ disorder.10
Possible causes of TMJ disorders include arthritis, teeth grinding, improper tooth and jaw alignment, injuries and dislocation of the joints themselves.10
How to treat a TMJ disorder
Your dentist will likely recommend a custom-made night guard to prevent you from grinding and clenching your teeth while you sleep, along with exercises to strengthen your jaw muscles and medication to help with pain. They may also suggest you eat softer foods, avoid biting your nails, meditate to reduce stress and use heat packs to help relieve discomfort.10
12. Canker Sores
Canker sores can occur on your lips or inside your mouth, making it uncomfortable to eat and drink. These small white or gray sores with a red border are often caused by bacteria in your mouth, a virus or a compromised immune system.3
Generally, canker sores go away on their own within two weeks. Unlike cold sores, they aren't contagious. As they heal, avoid hot or spicy foods that can irritate them.3
How to treat canker sores
Over-the-counter mouthwashes or creams may provide relief from the pain caused by canker sores.3
13. Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)
Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, is a subconscious behavior that can result from stress, a misaligned bite or sleep issues. It can lead to headaches, jaw pain, earaches and even cracked teeth over time.2
How to treat bruxism
A custom-made mouthguard can treat bruxism by preventing tooth damage and even helping correct your bite. Additionally, treating any underlying sleep issues or anxiety can help prevent bruxism.2
In some cases, meditation or counseling can help ease your anxiety and stress.3
14. Malocclusion (Improper Bite)
Improper bite, also referred to as malocclusion, occurs when the upper teeth don't overlap correctly over the bottom teeth. This can cause issues like abnormal wear on the teeth, fractured teeth and even teeth loosening over time.11
Malocclusion is typically caused by overcrowding of the teeth in your mouth, thumb-sucking, tooth loss or birth defects of the jaw.11
How to treat malocclusion
To correct your bite, your dentist may recommend braces, clear aligners or the removal of teeth to alleviate crowding. In serious cases, they may also suggest surgery.11
15. Enamel Hypoplasia (Underdeveloped Enamel)
Enamel hypoplasia, also known as underdeveloped enamel, may occur in young children as their teeth are developing. It results in the protective enamel of the child's teeth becoming too thin, making their teeth more prone to developing tooth decay and cavities.12
This condition results from prenatal issues or rare hereditary genetic diseases like amelogenesis imperfecta and Ellis-van Creveld syndrome. After birth, improper nutrition, excessive fluoride ingestion, diabetes, celiac disease, dental trauma, bacterial and viral infections or other environmental factors can lead to enamel hypoplasia.12
How to treat enamel hypoplasia
Your dentist may recommend fillings, dental sealants, crowns or extractions to treat teeth affected by enamel hypoplasia. You can help prevent issues with enamel development by feeding your child a well-rounded diet rich in vitamins A, C and D, and supervising them when they brush their teeth so they don't swallow fluoride toothpaste.12
16. Root Resorption
Root resorption occurs when your body breaks down the tissues surrounding your tooth and absorbs them. This damages the tooth itself and will eventually lead to tooth loss.13
Resorption can start from inside the tooth at the root, or outside the tooth where it connects to your jawbone. Although rare, this condition is caused by trauma to the tooth, gums or nerves, sometimes due to poor orthodontics, improper at-home dental care or nonprofessional teeth whitening.13
How to treat root resorption
Your dentist may be able to save your tooth with a root canal, with or without a crown, but in some cases extraction is the only option. You can help prevent root resorption by always seeing a professional dentist for your dental care and tooth whitening needs.13
17. Tooth Fractures
Tooth fractures can occur when you bite down on something hard or due to a traumatic injury, such as a hit to the face while playing a sport. You'll likely feel a sharp pain when the tooth becomes fractured.14
Wearing a mouthguard during sports and avoiding hard foods can help prevent tooth fractures.4
How to treat tooth fractures
If the fracture hasn't chipped the tooth, your dentist can usually repair the tooth with a filling. Or, if the damage to the enamel is superficial, they may not recommend a filling at all. However, if the tooth is fractured more seriously, you'll likely need a crown, with or without a root canal.14
18. Cracked or Chipped Teeth
As with fractured teeth, biting into a piece of hard candy or experiencing trauma to your mouth due to a fall can lead to a cracked or chipped tooth. This type of damage to your tooth can cause pain because it may expose the sensitive root of the tooth.4
Avoid injuries to your teeth by wearing a mouthguard while playing sports; using one at night to curb bruxism, which can lead to chipping; and staying away from very hard foods.4
How to treat cracked or chipped teeth
Depending on the severity of the crack or chip, your dentist may use a tooth-colored filling, crown or veneer to fix your tooth.4 You may also need a root canal in addition to a crown.14
19. Mouth Ulcers
Mouth ulcers and mouth sores are small lesions that can pop up anywhere within the tissues of the mouth or on the lips. These lesions form a hole in the tissue and may appear red or white.15
Many things can cause mouth ulcers, including bacterial, fungal or viral infections; an injury to the mouth tissue; certain medications; allergic reactions; chemical irritants; systemic disorders; and the use of tobacco products.15
How to treat mouth ulcers
If your mouth ulcers are painful and last more than 10 days, your dentist can examine and test them to determine their cause. Treating the underlying condition causing them usually resolves mouth ulcers, but your dentist can also provide topical solutions to help with pain and encourage healing.15
20. Dental Cavities (Caries)
Dental cavities, officially known as dental caries, are small holes that form in your tooth enamel when your tooth decay goes unchecked. Because these holes expose the sensitive root of your tooth, they can cause pain and even infections if left untreated.2
To prevent tooth decay and cavities, brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and floss regularly. Most importantly, see your dentist for twice-yearly dental checkups and cleanings, where problems like tooth decay and cavities can be caught early.2
How to treat dental cavities
To repair your cavities, your dentist may give you a filling, a root canal and/or a crown, depending on how extensive the cavity is.2
Dental Financing With the CareCredit Credit Card
Regular dental checkups are important to help prevent, identify and treat dental problems before they become more advanced. The CareCredit credit card can help you pay for dental exams, cosmetic dental procedures and other costs that insurance doesn’t cover — to help you keep your pearly whites bright and healthy.* Use our Acceptance Locator to find a dentist near you that accepts CareCredit. Make the most of your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App. You can find a provider on the go, manage your CareCredit account and easily access the Well U blog for more great articles, podcasts and videos.
In addition to dental care, you can also use your CareCredit credit card for pet care, cosmetic, vision, hearing, health systems, dermatology, pharmacy purchases, spa treatments and so much more within the CareCredit network. How will you invest in your health and wellness next?
Author Bio
Susan Paretts is a freelance writer with 20 years of experience covering health and wellness, pet care and more. Her work has been published by the American Kennel Club, Bayer Animal Health, Elanco, LIVESTRONG.com, the San Francisco Chronicle, Chewy and more.
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