Browsing: Dental Health

Dental Diseases

The page provides quick access to a list of common diseases, syndromes, health conditions, and other topics of health importance. The list is organized alphabetically. Links are provided to respective diseases sections that serve as a comprehensive and ultimate guide about the disease or health condition.

Effective and proper dental care of the mouth and teeth is highly important to a person’s general health and overall appearance. According to WHO, oral health is a state of being free from mouth and facial pain, oral and throat cancer, oral infection and sores, periodontal (gum) disease, tooth decay, tooth loss, and other diseases and disorders that limit an individual’s capacity in biting, chewing, smiling, speaking, and psychosocial wellbeing.

Untreated oral diseases or dental diseases can lead to gum problems, dental cavities, tooth loss, and many digestion-related issues. Scientists and dentists also believe that there could be a connection between certain dental problems or dental conditions and low birth weight, stroke, heart diseases, premature births, diabetes and certain other diseases. Primarily dental diseases are categorized into three types – formation of tooth decay, gum diseases, and oral cancers.

The most common oral diseases and conditions are dental cavities, periodontal (gum) disease, oral cancer, trauma from injuries, oral infectious diseases, gum infection, swollen gums, gum pain, and hereditary lesions. Dental cavities and periodontal disease are major causes of tooth loss.


Mouth guards are coverings that can be worn over teeth to protect teeth from injury from certain conditions or habits such as teeth grinding and during sports. These are also sometimes called dental guards or teeth guards or night guards (if the objective is to protect teeth from teeth grinding during sleep, in particular).

The presence of supernumerary teeth (extra teeth or Hyperdontia) can interfere in normal occlusal development. These extra teeth should be diagnosed as early as possible, as they are asymptomatic in most cases. Mostly, supernumerary teeth cause esthetic problems. In many cases, they can cause major complications, such as the following.