Refresh your knowledge
Our condition overviews cover the causes and mechanisms behind oral health issues, as well as the impact they have on a patients’ quality of life. We also break down the gold standard guidelines on diagnosis and management.
Oral health conditions
Sensitivity
Dentine hypersensitivity is a common and often underdiagnosed condition.1 Sufferers describe experiencing a short, sharp pain while eating, drinking, brushing their teeth or breathing cold air, which has a significant impact on their quality of life.2
Enamel wear
Enamel wear is a progressive, multifactorial condition that may have lasting effects.3 Enamel is equipped to respond to daily acid challenges; however, frequent and prolonged acid exposure can lead to progressive demineralisation.3 Changes in diet and increasing life expectancy mean that enamel wear is becoming an increasingly significant challenge in the long-term management of dental health.4
Gum health
Gingivitis affects 83% of adults in the UK.5 If identified early, the disease can often be resolved with daily brushing and flossing, and regular professional cleaning. If left untreated, however, gingivitis can progress, and in severe cases, result in tooth loss.6
Denture care
Almost 1 in 5 people in England rely on full or partial dentures.5 Each patient’s denture journey is different. Denture performance is affected by individual medical, physical and psychological factors, such as oral anatomy, xerostomia and how the patient adapts to their prosthesis.7–12
Dry mouth
Saliva plays an important part in maintaining oral health and well-being.13–15 Xerostomia is a subjective feeling of a dry mouth that may be caused by reduced saliva production.16 Dry mouth can negatively impact oral health;13,17 if left untreated, patients may have up to a 3x greater risk of cavities in the long term.18
