It is imperative that we eat healthy and maintain oral hygiene by brushing and flossing regularly. But still there are nearly 60% people who do not do it which results in multiple tooth diseases. So today we will discuss about tooth pathology - different conditions of teeth. You will be a bit confused with the word Tooth Pathology but it is a very familiar term and has nothing to do with the test laboratories. Tooth Pathology is a term that is used to describe any dental condition that is either congenital or acquired. So you can call it as a Tooth Disease or Tooth Disorders. At times the congenital tooth disease is called as tooth abnormalities. You'd be surprised to know that this is one of the most common diseases found amongst the humans. So ideally Tooth Pathology is just a dental condition which comprises of all the diseases which our tooth goes through in its lifespan.
Dentists are trained to treat, prevent and provide diagnosis for these diseases because the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Dental Pathology are the basis of dentistry. Furthermore dental-hygienists and other sub specialists are involved to give you a smile makeover or even a dental makeover.
As mentioned before tooth pathology comprises of either Congenital or Acquired so come let us take a look at what type of dental conditions fall in the category of Congenital or Acquired diseases:
Congenital Disease: At times called as Tooth Abnormalities, the person suffering from this disease is likely to be affected by Anodontia. It is a rare genetic disorder in which the patient does not have any teeth at all. In typical dentistry terminology this is also referred as Anodontia Vera. This disease is attached with the group of skin and a nerve syndrome which is called as Ectodermal Dysplasia. The only treatment that is prescribed for a patient suffering from this disease is Prosthetic Replacement of the missing teeth. The replacement of teeth is a successful treatment as it ensures that the patients get their natural looking teeth. There are different categories of Congenital Disease. One is when a patient doesn't have teeth called as Hypodontia and the other is when a patient has more than usual number of teeth called as Hyperdontia.
Acquired Disease: Pretty much different from the congenital disease, acquired condition comprises of Dental Caries popularly known as cavity or tooth decay and Dental Abscess. These two are the most common diseases. Cavities are caused by the unwanted guest that rests peacefully in our mouth - Bacteria. They use foods that have sugar or starch and produce acids which erode the structure of tooth thereby causing damage to enamel. Dental Abscess is caused by the pus which gets accumulated in teeth and gums because of the bacterial infection. The cause of dental abscess is consuming foods rich in sugar and starch however if proper oral hygiene is maintained this situation can be avoided.
While some diseases are inherited there is nothing much that can be done about them apart from undergoing surgery. But for the acquired diseases we need to follow proper dental hygiene.
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