LINESES, PRINCESS KATE H.
III - MAXILLA
CARIES
DENTAL PLAQUE FORMATION
A BIOFILM OF MICROORGANISMS CALLED DENTAL
PLAQUE DEVELOPS NATURALLY ON TEETH. WHEN
CARBOHYDRATES (SUCH AS SUGARS AND STARCHES) ARE
TAKEN, THEY SERVE AS A SOURCE OF FOOD FOR ORAL
BACTERIA.
ACID PRODUCTION
AS A CONSEQUENCE OF METABOLIZING
CARBOHYDRATES, BACTERIA IN DENTAL PLAQUE MAKE
ACIDS, PRIMARILY LACTIC ACID. THIS ACID PRODUCTION
CAUSES THE PH LEVEL IN THE ORAL ENVIRONMENT TO
DROP, CREATING AN ACIDIC ENVIRONMENT.
DEMINERALIZATION
THE MINERALS IN TOOTH ENAMEL, ESPECIALLY CALCIUM
AND PHOSPHATE, CAN BE DISSOLVED BY THE ACID THAT
BACTERIA CREATE. DEMINERALIZATION IS THE NAME
GIVEN TO THIS PROCESS. THE ENAMEL SURFACE MAY
DEVELOP TINY LESIONS AS A RESULT OF REPEATED ACID
EXPOSURE.
CAVITY FORMATION
IF DEMINERALIZATION CONTINUES OVER TIME, THE
TOOTH MAY EVENTUALLY DEVELOP A CAVITY (OR
CARIOUS LESION). THIS HOLLOW RESEMBLES A HOLE IN
THE ENAMEL AND CAN PENETRATE THE DENTIN, ONE OF
THE DEEPER LAYERS OF THE TOOTH.
DENTIN INVOLVEMENT
THE DECAY PROCESS QUICKENS AS THE CAVITY REACHES
THE DENTIN. DENTIN CAN DISSOLVE MORE QUICKLY THAN
ENAMEL BECAUSE IT IS SOFTER AND LESS RESISTANT TO
ACID. DENTIN CAN BE MORE READILY PENETRATED BY THE
CAVITIES, INCREASING THE RISK OF INFECTION GETTING
TO THE TOOTH PULP.
PULP INFECTION
THE DENTAL PULP, WHICH IS THE TOOTH'S INNERMOST
LAYER THAT CONTAINS NERVES AND BLOOD VESSELS, IS
LOCATED THERE. INFLAMMATION AND INFECTION MAY
RESULT FROM THE CARIES LESION IF IT SPREADS TO THE
PULP. THIS MAY CAUSE SYMPTOMS LIKE SWELLING,
SENSITIVITY, AND TOOTH PAIN.
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
GINGIVITIS
PLAQUE FORMATION
DENTAL PLAQUE, A CONSTANTLY FORMING SOFT, STICKY
COATING OF BACTERIA, FOOD WASTE, AND OTHER
MATERIAL, IS THE FIRST STEP IN THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
OF GINGIVITIS. PLAQUE CAN BUILD UP ON TOOTH
SURFACES, PARTICULARLY IN PLACES WHERE FLOSSING
AND BRUSHING MAY NOT BE AS EFFECTIVE.
BACTERIAL INFECTION
BACTERIA, ESPECIALLY PATHOGENIC (DANGEROUS)
BACTERIA, MAKE UP THE MAJORITY OF PLAQUE. WHEN
THESE BACTERIA COME INTO TOUCH WITH THE GUM
TISSUES (GINGIVA), THEY EMIT TOXINS AND ENZYMES
THAT CAN IRRITATE AND INFLAME THEM.
INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE
WHEN DANGEROUS BACTERIA AND THEIR BYPRODUCTS
ARE PRESENT, THE IMMUNE SYSTEM OF THE BODY
REACTS. THE GINGIVA BECOMES INFLAMED AS A RESULT
OF THIS REACTION. REDNESS, SWELLING, AND BLEEDING
OF THE GUMS, ESPECIALLY DURING BRUSHING OR
FLOSSING, ARE THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS OF
GINGIVITIS.
GINGIVAL POCKET FORMATION
THE GUMS MAY BEGIN TO PEEL AWAY FROM THE TEETH
AS THE INFLAMMATION WORSENS, FORMING TINY
SPACES BETWEEN THE GUMS AND TEETH. THESE GAPS
CAN ACCUMULATE ADDITIONAL FOOD DEBRIS AND
PLAQUE, WORSENING THE PROBLEM.
CONTINUED FORMATION
WITHOUT TREATMENT, THE INFLAMMATION MAY PERSIST
OVER TIME. EVEN WHILE CHRONIC GINGIVITIS MAY NOT
ALWAYS BE PAINFUL OR UNCOMFORTABLE, IT CAN LAST
FOR A LONG TIME, RAISING THE POSSIBILITY OF
SUBSEQUENT ISSUES.
PERIODONTITIS
PLAQUE FORMATION
PERIODONTITIS, LIKE GINGIVITIS, STARTS WITH THE
DEVELOPMENT OF DENTAL PLAQUE, A BIOFILM MADE UP OF
BACTERIA, FOOD DEBRIS, AND OTHER DETRITUS ON THE
TOOTH SURFACES. POOR DENTAL HYGIENE HABITS CAUSE
PLAQUE TO BUILD UP.
BACTERIAL INFECTION
PATHOGENIC BACTERIA IN THE PLAQUE PRODUCE POISONS
AND ENZYMES. THE SULCUS OR PERIODONTAL POCKET,
WHICH IS THE REGION BETWEEN THE TEETH AND GUMS, IS A
HAVEN FOR THESE BACTERIA.
INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE
THE PRESENCE OF THESE DANGEROUS BACTERIA AND THEIR
BYPRODUCTS TRIGGERS AN IMMUNOLOGICAL RESPONSE IN
THE BODY. THE GINGIVAL CONNECTIVE TISSUE AND THE
TOOTH-SUPPORTING BONE ARE AMONG THE DEEPER TISSUES
WHERE THIS INFLAMMATION HAS SPREAD.
FORMATION OF PERIODONTAL SOCKETS
THE GINGIVA MAY SEPARATE FROM THE TOOTH AS THE
INFECTION WORSENS, CREATING PERIODONTAL POCKETS.
MORE BACTERIA CAN GATHER IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT
PROVIDED BY THESE POCKETS. MORE SERIOUS DISEASE IS
CORRELATED WITH DEEPER POCKETS.
LOSS OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE & BONES
THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE FIBERS THAT HOLD THE TOOTH TO
THE BONE ARE DAMAGED BY THE INFLAMMATORY REACTION
AND BACTERIAL TOXINS. IN ADDITION, THE TOOTH'S
SUPPORTING BONE STARTS TO RESORB OR DISINTEGRATE,
WHICH CAUSES BONE LOSS.
TOOTH MOBILITY
THE TEETH THAT ARE DAMAGED MAY BECOME MOVABLE OR
LOOSE WHEN THE BONE SUPPORT DECLINES.
SOFT TISSUE CHANGES
THE GUMS MAY RECEDE DUE TO ADVANCED PERIODONTITIS,
EXPOSING THE TOOTH ROOTS. INCREASED SENSITIVITY AND
AESTHETIC CONCERNS MAY RESULT FROM THIS.
 SEQUELAE

CARIES GINGIVITIS PERIODONTITIS

TOOTHACHE PERIODONTITIS TOOTH LOSS

A PERSON'S DAILY LIFE MAY BE NEGATIVELY
IMPACTED BY SEVERE TOOTHACHES BROUGHT
ON BY CARIES WHEN IT ADVANCES AND
REACHES THE DENTAL PULP.
THE EARLIEST STAGE OF GUM DISEASE IS GINGIVITIS, AND IT TOOTH LOSS IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON EFFECTS OF
CAN ADVANCE TO PERIODONTITIS, WHICH RESULTS IN THE UNTREATED PERIODONTITIS. TEETH MAY BECOME SO
LOSS OF THE BONE THAT SUPPORTS THE TEETH. A MORE
LOOSE THAT EXTRACTION IS REQUIRED AS THE BONE
SERIOUS AND PERMANENT ILLNESS CALLED PERIODONTITIS
SUPPORT DETERIORATES.
CAN CAUSE TOOTH LOSS AND MOVEMENT OF THE TEETH.

SENSITIVITY
INCREASED TOOTH SENSITIVITY TO HOT, COLD,
SWEET, OR ACIDIC MEALS AND BEVERAGES CAN
RESULT FROM CARIOUS LESIONS.
ABSCESS FORMATION
A DENTAL ABSCESS, A PAINFUL PUS-FILLED
ACCUMULATION NEAR THE TOOTH'S ROOT, CAN
DEVELOP AS A RESULT OF A PULP INFECTION. LOCALIZED
SWELLING AND EXCRUCIATING PAIN MAY RESULT FROM
THIS.
TOOTH LOSS
CARIES MIGHT EVENTUALLY RESULT IN TOOTH LOSS IF IT IS
NOT TREATED. THIS CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR A PERSON
TO CHEW, SPEAK, OR SMILE, AND IT COULD REQUIRE
EXPENSIVE RESTORATION PROCEDURES LIKE DENTAL
IMPLANTS OR BRIDGES.
ABSCESS FORMATION
TOOTH LOSS ABSCESSES, WHICH ARE PAINFUL, PUS-FILLED POCKETS
OF INFECTION WITHIN THE GUMS, CAN ARISE IN
THE BONE SUPPORTING THE TEETH MAY
PERIODONTAL POCKETS.
GRADUALLY BE LOST AS PERIODONTITIS
WORSENS. THIS MAY LEAD TO LOOSE TEETH AND,
IN EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES, TOOTH LOSS.
CHRONIC INFLAMMATION
CHRONIC INFLAMMATION, WHICH IS A HALLMARK OF
PERIODONTITIS AND MAY HAVE SYSTEMIC
ABSCESS FORMATION REPERCUSSIONS, IS ALSO LINKED TO DIABETES AND
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE.
GUM ABSCESSES ARE INFECTED POCKETS OF
TISSUE WITHIN THE GUMS THAT ARE PAINFUL
AND FILLED WITH PUS. THEY CAN DEVELOP AS A HALISTOSIS (BAD BREATH)
RESULT OF GINGIVITIS OR PERIODONTITIS. THE PRESENCE OF BACTERIA IN THE PERIODONTAL
POCKETS CAN RESULT IN PERSISTENT BAD BREATH OR
HALITOSIS.
SYSTEMIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS
RECENT STUDIES INDICATE THAT SYSTEMIC
HEALTH PROBLEMS LIKE CARDIOVASCULAR GUM RECESSION
DISEASE, DIABETES, AND POOR PREGNANCY AS THE GUMS RECEDE DUE TO TISSUE AND BONE LOSS,
OUTCOMES MAY BE RELATED TO SEVERE GUM THE ROOTS OF THE TEETH BECOME EXPOSED. INCREASED
DISEASE. SENSITIVITY AND AESTHETIC WORRIES MAY RESULT FROM
THIS.

SYSTEMIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS

HALISTOSIS (BAD BREATH) SYSTEMIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS
UNTREATED CARIES AND POOR DENTAL HEALTH DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF BACTERIA IN THE RECENT STUDIES INDICATE THAT SYSTEMIC HEALTH
HAVE BEEN LINKED TO SYSTEMIC HEALTH MOUTH, GINGIVITIS AND PERIODONTITIS CAN PROBLEMS LIKE HEART DISEASE, DIABETES, LUNG
PROBLEMS LIKE DIABETES AND RESULT IN PERSISTENT BAD BREATH, OFTEN INFECTIONS, AND POOR PREGNANCY OUTCOMES MAY ALL
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. BE RELATED TO PERIODONTITIS.
KNOWN AS HALITOSIS.

IMPAIRED QUALITY OF LIFE

PSYCHOSOCIAL EFFECTS COSMETIC CONCERNS AN INDIVIDUAL'S QUALITY OF LIFE AND SELF-ESTEEM CAN
DUE TO CHANGES IN A PERSON'S LOOK AND
GUM RECESSION BROUGHT ON BY ADVANCED BE GREATLY IMPACTED BY TOOTH LOSS AND COSMETIC
SPEECH, DENTAL CARIES CAN HAVE
CHANGES BROUGHT ON BY ADVANCED PERIODONTITIS.
PSYCHOSOCIAL EFFECTS, WHICH CAN LOWER A GUM DISEASE MIGHT ALTER THE WAY A PERSON
PERSON'S SELF-ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE. LOOKS WHEN THEY SMILE.