Taking control of your oral health to prevent dental emergencies

We never know the worth of water till the well runs dry - the proverb has come a long way since the beginning of mankind. We humans have always proved the validity of this statement by our very own natural instincts. Though the well and the water might have been used as references, we can see their authenticity when we look at ourselves, specifically our teeth.

We only care about our teeth when it's too late, and the pain is intolerable. 
 
If we look closely at our daily food habits, we often indulge in the sugary rush of chocolates, soft drinks, chips and beverages containing sugar. These foods are what we call cariogenic snacks or foods. This means that they can cause caries and damage to the tooth. 
  
The outermost layer of our tooth is called enamel. Any kind of disease related to the tooth hits the enamel first, especially caries. Caries initially demineralise the enamel and penetrate deep inside our teeth' inner layers. If left untreated for a very long time, this initial caries causes the formation of a very large cavity on the tooth surface.

Through this cavity, the nerve fibres present in the tooth come out and become exposed to the outer environment. This exposure of the nerve causes excruciating pain to the patient. But in most cases, it is seen that the patient takes some painkillers and tries to ride on with the pain; that too for several days.

As a result, the root of the affected tooth gets infected. And the gum underlying the tooth is swollen.

In most cases, the area is filled with pus and other discharges are also seen. When the patient visits the dentist, he/she has no other option except to undergo a root canal treatment to fix the tooth.

The doctor must then remove the already dead nerve fibre and the leftover infected tooth tissue. 

Only due to the patient's ignorance does a living tooth have to be sacrificed in this way. So, each and every one of us should always keep in mind that we should visit the dentist as soon as there are any difficulties involving our teeth.

Along with this, everyone should develop the habit of brushing their tooth twice daily, once before going to sleep and another in the morning after breakfast, and also with regular flossing.

During this holy month of Ramadan, everyone should be conscious of their oral hygiene. If we can maintain good oral health by following the correct rules and doing it properly, as well as a regular visit to the dentist every six months, then any kind of dental problems and oral disease can be avoided.

The author Dr Ahmed Ahbab Shamo, BDS (DU), is an honorary Medical Officer at Dhaka Dental College