Dental caries (tooth/teeth cavities) afflicts most of us at some point in life and is the second most common condition in humans after the common cold and flu. If left untreated it can progress to the point where it results in unbearable pain. Depending on the extent of the damage to the tooth, the tooth may have to be >> Read More ...
Some disorders of the skin and inner lining of cavities like the mouth seem like harmless abnormalities that do not warrant much medical attention. Apart from moderate discomfort, it does not appear to cause any damage to tissue or affect functioning. Oral leukoplakia is one such condition. However, it needs to be >> Read More ...
Normal color of the tongue The human tongue is a muscular organ that plays various roles in chewing, swallowing and talking. It lacks the protective skin and therefore its color is largely dependent on that tissue it is composed of in addition to the blood flowing through it. Therefore the color of the human tongue is >> Read More ...
The presence of blood in the mouth can be extremely worrying, especially if it is a sudden bleed for no obvious reason. Bleeding when coughing (hemoptysis), vomiting (hematemesis) or from the nose (epistaxis) indicates the most likely source of the bleed – the respiratory passages, gastrointestinal tract or nasal >> Read More ...
Stomatitis is a general term for inflammation of the oral cavity, its lining and structures. It may involve a few isolated areas or the entire mouth. The signs of inflammation – pain, swelling, redness, warmth – are present to varying degrees. Pain is almost always a feature of stomatitis and mouth pain is >> Read More ...
What are the taste buds? The taste buds are the functional unit of the sense of taste. It is stimulated by certain chemicals in food and relays signals to the brain where it is perceived as the five taste sensations – sweet, salty, sour, bitter and . Odor (smell) and the texture of food can also alter the sense of >> Read More ...
The three paired salivary glands and small buccal glands located throughout the oral cavity contribute to the approximately 1 liter of saliva produced in a day. Salivary flow can vary between 800 milliliters and 2 liters but this is regulated by a number of factors, especially nervous control by the brain >> Read More ...
What is Gingivitis? Gingivitis is the medical term for inflammation of the gums (gingiva), which is a mild form of gum disease, usually caused by a bacterial infection as a result of plaque formation. Gingivitis is both preventable and treatable. However, without the appropriate measures to prevent complications by >> Read More ...
The taste sensation is one of the many ways that we experience our environment. It is useful for assessing foods and fluids and can bring tremendous pleasure in what we eat and drink. It also plays an important role in compelling us to eat or avoid certain substances that can either nourish us or harm us. We always >> Read More ...
IsabelleU69 Asked : I recently had a dental bridge inserted to replace a badly decayed tooth that had to be removed. The dentist had also prescribed me antibiotics because he believed an abscess was developing on the other side. After that I noticed that my breath has been quite foul and even my partner has detected the >> Read More ...
