Oral Health Complications

This section provides some information on oral health complications and how they are assessed and treated by your dentist.

Oral Diseases — Left unchecked, hidden threats to your oral health - such as gum disease, root cavities and infections and oral cancer - can lead to severe pain, loss of teeth and serious health implications.

Dental Emergencies — Here are some common dental emergencies and how to handle them.

Crooked Teeth — A number of factors may affect the size and position of your teeth and jaws.

Temporomandibular Disorder — When there's a problem with how the joints and muscles work, you may have a temporomandibular disorder.

Tobacco & Oral Health — You are probably aware that tobacco can cause heart disease and a variety of cancers. What you may not know is that tobacco is a major cause of tooth loss in adults.

What is Oral Health?

CDA defines oral health as "a state of the oral and related tissues and structures that contributes positively to physical, mental and social well-being and to the enjoyment of life's possibilities, by allowing the individual to speak, eat and socialize unhindered by pain, discomfort or embarrassment."

Approved by Resolution 2001.02
Canadian Dental Association Board of Governors
March 2001

Top of page