Oral Health Report: Xerostomia, Caries Types, Causes, Prevention

This report provides an overview of oral health, emphasizing the significance of oral well-being as a reflection of overall body health. It defines oral health according to WHO standards, highlighting the absence of mouth diseases and conditions. The report addresses the Xerostomia phenomenon, detailing its causes, such as certain medications and radiation treatments, and emphasizing the importance of lifestyle choices and increased professional training to manage it. It also explores dental caries, describing its types—pit and fissure, smooth surface, root surface, and deep dentinal caries—and explaining the process of tooth decay caused by bacteria interacting with sugars. The report concludes by advocating for improved healthcare and public education to combat the increasing prevalence of dental problems. The report references several studies to support its findings and recommendations.

Running head: ORAL HEALTH 1
Oral Health
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

ORAL HEALTH 2
Introduction
Oral health is a vital sign of overall body health. WHO defines oral health as the
condition in which an individual is free from all mouth diseases, disorders, sores, throat cancer
and other conditions that limit an individual from chewing, biting, speaking and also their
emotional well-being.
Ways of promoting oral health especially in Xerostomia phenomena
People who depend on others to promote their oral health and those who face
considerable barriers to access oral health care are the most vulnerable groups (Kay, Vascott,
Hocking, Nield, Dorr & Barrett, 2016). Some of these vulnerable groups include children, the
disabled, and also the elderly. Improving access to health care would expand access to health
care by these groups, ensuring people have access to dental insurance, increasing the number of
dental practitioners and more significant support for preventive measures to decrease the burden
of the disease.
A Xerostomia phenomenon is an oral health condition in which there is qualitative and
quantitative lack of saliva in the mouth of individuals (Haque et al, 2016). Xerostomia may occur
despite normal activities of the salivary gland. Certain drugs or medications may predispose one
to xerostomia.
People should live healthy lifestyles to avoid this condition of reduced saliva flow rate.
Radiations of the neck or head malignancies should be avoided as they inflict injury on the
salivary gland increasing chances of xerostomia. Increased training of dental professionals who
deal with this phenomenon can be an advantage. Also, improved access to health care should be
enhanced to decrease the prevalence of the disease.
Types and development of dental caries.

ORAL HEALTH 3
This is also referred to as tooth decay or tooth cavities. It is one of the most widespread
diseases and most preventable oral disease, among others. When one eats certain foods, the
bacteria on teeth act on the remaining foods and sugars and produce acids that have the
capability inflict injuries on teeth. There four different types of caries which include; pit and
fissure caries, smooth surface caries, root surface caries, and deep dentinal caries. These
classifications of caries are according to the part the disease effects (Villa, Connel, & Abati,
2015). Carries can affect the; fissures, the surface of the tooth, root surface, and the deep
dentinal, hence the classification.
Analysis and causes of dental causes
Tooth decay occurred when sugars left on the tooth surface come into contact with
bacteria causing the bacteria to act on them, producing an acid that affects the enamel. The
enamel thus loses minerals. These Continued penetrations of these acids cause the enamel to
weaken, and hence it gets destroyed, and a cavity develops. Hence tooth decay begins. It usually
attacks people who eat more sugars and starches.
In conclusion, oral health deserves more care than before. Health institutions should
ensure that there is improved health care and educate people on healthy lifestyles to deal with
this problem. The number of individuals affected by dental problems increases from day to day
due to our lifestyles and medications we use.

ORAL HEALTH 4
References
Kay, E., Vascott, D., Hocking, A., Nield, H., Dorr, C., & Barrett, H. (2016). A review of
approaches for dental practice teams for promoting oral health. Community dentistry and
oral epidemiology, 44(4), 313-330..
Epstein, J. B., & Beier Jensen, S. (2015). Management of hyposalivation and xerostomia: criteria
for treatment strategies. Compend Contin Educ Dent, 36(8), 600-603.
Haque, S. E., Rahman, M., Itsuko, K., Mutahara, M., Kayako, S., Tsutsumi, A., ... & Mostofa,
M. G. (2016). Effect of a school-based oral health education in preventing untreated
dental caries and increasing knowledge, attitude, and practices among adolescents in
Bangladesh. BMC oral health, 16(1), 44.
Villa, A., Connell, C. L., & Abati, S. (2015). Diagnosis and management of xerostomia and
hyposalivation. Therapeutics and clinical risk management, 11, 45.