Oral Care and You

The common oral problems are :

Oral thrush

Oral thrush commonly occurs when people do not rinse their mouth after using steroid inhalers for asthma. Oral anti-fungals, which are available as gel or drops, can be used to treat oral thrush.

Other common oral problems

• Dentures : Dentures can cause mouth problems if they are not fitted properly.
• Childhood teething : This occurs when baby teeth start to erupt through the gums. Teething may cause irritability, swollen gums and slight fever. Teething pain can be relieved by giving the child something to chew on or rubbing teething gel on the gums.
• Gum and tooth disease : This problem starts with the development of plaque, a deposit containing bacteria that builds up on the tooth surface. Plaque removal helps prevent dental decay and bleeding gums, which is a symptom of gingivitis or gum inflammation.
• Dental pain : toothaches can be temporarily treated with pain relievers until you are able to visit a dentist. Aspirin should not be used before visiting the dentist because of the risk of excessive bleeding during treatment.
• Halitosis : Bad breath, or halitosis, can occur because of abscesses, indigestion or reflux, or after eating spicy foods or garlic. Halitosis is often caused by sulfur-producing bacteria on the tongue, which build up overnight when saliva production is low.

Steps to good oral health

• Always visit a dentist when toothache develops, because it is usually a sign of dental decay;
• Discard your toothbrush if the bristles are splayed out, because they will not effectively clean the teeth;
• Use dental floss regularly to remove plaque and food trapped between the teeth;
• Brush the surface of your tongue with a soft toothbrush or rinse with a mouthwash to help correct halitosis.

Dental advice

Seek immediate dental advice if  :

• your mouth or gums are inflamed and/or fever is present;
• you have throbbing pain, which may indicate a dental abscess;
• you have a swollen, painful jaw or face;
• you have an injury caused by trauma, such as blow to the mouth;
• you have persistent bleeding in your mouth or gums; or
• mouth problems such as ulcers or a sore tongue have not resolved within 7 to 10 days, or after treatment.

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