How to Know if Your Teeth Are Unhealthy? 

Having a healthy, beautiful smile can do many things. It can boost your confidence, bring joy and make you feel like the best version of yourself. 

Let’s be honest, a healthy, stunning smile is exactly what you wish for, too. And if that’s what you want, practising good oral hygiene is the way to go. 

However, your oral hygiene routine can fall through the cracks as life gets busy. We get that, but ignoring your oral hygiene can be a recipe for disaster. 

After all, unhealthy teeth don’t just affect the appearance of your smile but can also set off a domino effect of oral and health problems you don’t want to deal with.  

The good news is that if you keep a watchful eye on your smile, you can easily spot some of the signs of unhealthy teeth and seek treatment before they get worse. 

Here are some telltale signs of unhealthy teeth that suggest your teeth might need a little extra care. 

Bad Breath

Experiencing bad breath once in a while is normal, and we’ve all been there. Maybe you had a meal with garlic as the key ingredient or perhaps you forgot to brush your teeth (it happens). 

However, persistent bad breath could be a sign that something’s wrong. While it’s probably not anything scary, it’s definitely worth checking out. 

Here’s what could be causing your bad breath:

• Poor oral hygiene
• Gum disease 
• Dry mouth 
• Sinus infections 
• Smoking and alcohol 
• Foods such as onions and garlic with strong odours
• Medical conditions like kidney failure and diabetes

When you visit us, we can figure out what’s causing bad breath and get your breath smelling fresh again. 

Loose Teeth 

A loose, wobbly tooth can be a bit scary – especially for adults. 

Now, don’t go picturing yourself with missing teeth because there’s a good chance of saving your teeth if you catch it early. 

Trauma to your mouth or face can definitely loosen a tooth. However, if you’re having several loose teeth for no apparent reason, it could be a sign of an underlying dental problem like plaque and bacteria build-up and gum disease. 

When plaque and bacteria build up in your mouth due to poor oral hygiene, they can attack the gums and bone supporting the teeth, causing your tooth to become loose. 

It can also lead to gum disease, which isn’t something to mess around with. Left untreated, gum disease can lead to serious dental problems including tooth loss and bone loss. 

Darkening Teeth 

We all love a bright smile, don’t we? Sometimes, however, our pearly whites can start looking a little dull. Perhaps it’s because of that cup of coffee every morning or those glasses of red wine. 

Discolouration or staining can occur because of certain foods, drinks, lifestyle habits like smoking, and medications, and it usually affects all or several teeth. 

But what if only one tooth is darkening? That could indicate something more serious like nerve damage or dental pulp infection. 

Trauma to your teeth is one of the leading causes of darkening. While mild to moderate trauma will heal with time, severe tooth trauma can lead to nerve damage, resulting in permanent darkening. 

Tooth Sensitivity 

Do you wince and go “ouch” whenever you eat ice cream? If so, you could be dealing with sensitivity—ugh!  

Tooth sensitivity occurs when the protective layer of your teeth (the enamel) wears down, exposing the nerve endings. In addition to enamel erosion, gum recession, worn dental fillings and cracked teeth can also cause tooth sensitivity. 

The good news is that you don’t have to give up eating your favourite foods because we can help you with our sensitive teeth treatments. 

Swollen or Bleeding Gums 

Uh-oh. Are your gums bleeding when you brush or floss? Well, it’s definitely a sign of unhealthy teeth and also the first signs of gum disease.

If left untreated, gum disease can lead to tooth loss and even impact overall health. But if you catch gum disease in its early stages, we can reverse its effects, which is why you shouldn’t wait until things get serious to get it checked out. 

Experiencing any of the above signs of unhealthy teeth? Port Melbourne Dental is here to help. 

Here’s the thing. Most of these issues can be easily addressed with good oral hygiene, regular dental check-ups, and cleanings. That’s where our experienced dental team comes in. 

We will help you keep your smile healthy and happy with a wide range of treatments and personalised advice from the get-go because we believe prevention is always better than cure. 

Call us at PMD Dental to get your smile back on track!