If you have had a recent dental exam and your dentist informed you that you have some dental anomalies in your mouth, you may feel worried or concerned. Some of these anomalies are easily explained, but some may require a deeper investigation because they may lead to more serious diagnoses. Here are a few of the less disconcerting dental anomalies.

No Tartar Buildup, but You Have Cavities

How on earth could you have no tartar buildup but still have cavities? This is a pretty easy one to explain, actually. If you floss once or twice daily (or more!), food cannot break down between your teeth, get stuck and create the sugary plaque bacteria known as tartar. If you also limit sugars in your diet, this in conjunction with flossing leads to little or no tartar. However, infrequent brushing and leaving food particles on the tops and surfaces of your teeth leads to the breakdown of the enamel and dentin, causing cavities. You can have both present in your mouth, which is an anomaly, but one that is easily understood.

Rotten Teeth Under Crowns

The purpose of a crown is to rescue the living remnants of a tooth without sacrificing it. Porcelain crowns can last indefinitely, but oddly enough, the teeth underneath them may not. Bacteria that gets below the gum line can begin to eat away at the base and roots of the tooth, slowly killing it and causing it to rot. It is somewhat rare, but it does happen. People who experience this usually have poor oral hygiene and/or may not notice anything is wrong until the crowned tooth really begins to bother them. If it feels like you have a cavity in the crowned tooth, see your dentist right away to rule out a bad tooth under the crown.

Good Dental Hygiene and Gingivitis

If you brush at least twice a day, you have good oral hygiene. Unfortunately, that is not a rock-solid guarantee against gingivitis for some people. It may seem very strange to have gingivitis when you brush often and brush well, but the problem is not with your oral hygiene. It is with your diet. A lack of vitamin C and other vitamins that keep teeth and gums healthy can lead to gingivitis too. If your dentist asks you about what you eat and how often you brush, and one or the other does not seem to fit with the inflammation and bleeding of your gums, your dentist will narrow it down to bad hygiene (which is not the case here) or poor diet. Thankfully, citrus fruits and leafy greens can turn this condition around.

For additional information and advice, contact a dentist like Tore D Steinberg DDS PC.