Chapter 3: Lesson 3.2, Keeping Your Mouth, Eyes, and Ears Healthypg.87-96

The , , , and are important parts of the body that help people live their lives to the fullest. In this lesson, you will learn ways to care for your mouth, teeth, eyes, and ears. You will also read about some common health conditions relating to these parts of your body and how you can treat and prevent them.

Mouth and Teeth

Having good oral health is important to your overall health (Figure 3.10). refers to your mouth, teeth, and gums. In order for your mouth and teeth to help with digestion, you need to take care of them. In addition, it is important to recognize common mouth and teeth conditions so proper treatment and prevention can occur.

Caring for the Mouth and Teeth

Taking care of your and requires regular attention. To start, brush your teeth, including your tongue, at with a soft-bristle brush and toothpaste that contains fluoride (Figure 3.11). Fluoride is a chemical that helps prevent tooth decay. Brushing your teeth daily cleans your mouth and teeth and prevents the buildup of . Replace your toothbrush about every three months or sooner if the bristles are worn. is also important to do every day. Flossing gets rid of any food particles stuck between your teeth and removes plaque from between the teeth and under the gums.

It is also important to visit the twice a year. The dentist will check and clean your teeth to help prevent tooth decay and gum disease. The dentist can also detect teeth conditions, such as cavities, early on when they can be more easily treated.

There are additional healthy lifestyle choices that you can do to keep your mouth and teeth healthy. Choose to eat , such as fruits and vegetables, instead of sticky foods that are high in sugar and starch, such as candy and soda. If you choose to eat food high in , brush your teeth as soon as possible to prevent oral conditions. When playing sports such as football or ice hockey, wear a mouth guard. This will protect your teeth from being broken. Avoid using any type of product, which can stain your teeth.

Common Mouth and Teeth Conditions

Many people experience mouth and teeth conditions at some point. These conditions can interfere with important daily life functions such as chewing, swallowing, and even talking. Some of the common mouth conditions people may experience include , , teeth misalignment, impacted wisdom teeth, cold sores, , and teeth grinding.

Tooth Decay

When you eat or drink something, a substance in your saliva breaks down the food particles and sugars for digestion. This process turns everything you eat or drink into a type of acid. When this acid combines with the bacteria in your mouth, as well as saliva and small food particles, it forms plaque. is a sticky, colorless film that coats the teeth and dissolves their protective enamel surface. If plaque is not removed, it mixes with minerals to become , a harder substance. Tartar removal requires professional cleaning.

If you do not and your teeth daily, food particles remain in your mouth and promote bacterial growth (Figure 3.12). This results in tooth decay. Over time, tooth decay causes cavities, or holes in the teeth that occur when plaque eats into a tooth’s enamel. are also known as dental caries. As the decay continues, the hole gets deeper and eventually reaches the nerve layer under the , known as the dentin. This causes painful nerve damage. The death of the tooth occurs when the decay reaches the deepest layer of the tooth (the pulp cavity).

Gum Disease

Your gums consist of the pinkish tissue that surrounds your teeth. The gums lie on top of the bones of the jaw, and cover the entire root of each tooth. The gums help keep your teeth in place.

occurs when plaque and tartar build up on the teeth (Figure 3.13). The in plaque cause toxins to form in the mouth, which irritates the gums. Over time, this irritation can lead to , an inflammation of the gums. It can also lead to periodontitis. , or periodontal disease, is an caused by bacteria getting under the gum tissue and destroying the gums and bone. Early signs of gum disease include and of the gums. If gum disease goes untreated, it can damage the gums and jawbone.

Teeth Misalignment and Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Sometimes teeth do not always come in straight. Teeth may be crooked, overcrowded in the mouth, have too much space in between, or are misaligned. A misalignment (incorrect position) of the upper teeth and the lower teeth may result in an overbite or underbite. An is a condition in which the upper teeth extend significantly over the lower teeth. An is a condition in which the lower teeth extend significantly past the upper teeth. An may apply braces to fix crooked or misaligned teeth. An orthodontist is a dental specialist who prevents and corrects teeth misalignments (Figure 3.14).

Wisdom teeth may become stuck under the gum tissue, or may only be able to partially come through the gums. This can be caused by lack of room in the jaw. When this occurs, the condition is called impacted teeth. In this case, the teeth may need to be removed by an oral surgeon because the wisdom teeth can become infected or displace other teeth.

Cold Sores

Cold sores, or , are small blisters that appear on the lips and inside the mouth (Figure 3.15). These blisters are red, swollen, and painful, especially when touched. Cold sores are caused by a spread from person to person through passing saliva in some way, such as sharing a utensil. Cold sores typically last several days, but can last as long as two weeks. Cold sores generally clear up without treatment. Cold sores that are painful can be treated with a skin cream or ointment to speed up the healing and help ease the pain.

Bad Breath and Teeth Grinding

Bad breath, or , can be caused by poor oral hygiene. Bad breath is also caused by gum disease, , trapped food particles, and certain medical conditions. For example, respiratory tract infections, diabetes, and chronic bronchitis can all cause bad breath.

Ways people can help bad breath include the following:

• practicing good

• seeing the dentist every for checkups

• using an antiseptic to reduce the bacteria that causes bad breath

involves repeatedly clenching and grinding one's teeth. This condition may be caused by or , having an abnormal bite, or missing or crooked teeth. Many people who grind their teeth are unaware they do it because it often occurs during sleep. They may learn from other people that they grind their teeth.

Although teeth grinding is usually harmless, persistent teeth grinding can lead to tooth damage, a sore jaw, headaches, and even hearing loss. A dentist can determine whether you are grinding your teeth. If you do grind your teeth, the dentist may suggest that you wear a during sleep to protect your teeth.

Eyes

Most people rely on their sense of vision more than their other senses. You need good for many activities in your daily life, from kicking a soccer ball to taking a photograph to riding a bicycle. Keeping your eyes healthy is important. In the following sections, you will learn some good strategies for keeping your eyes healthy. You will also learn about common vision conditions that can affect the eyes.

Protecting Your Eyes

Following are simple to help you keep your eyes as healthy as possible throughout your lifetime:

• Wear eyewear when playing contact sports or doing activities that can create flying debris that could hit the eyes.

• When spending time outdoors, wear sunglasses to block harmful .

• Avoid sharing and eye care products as germs can easily spread.

• If something gets in your eye, it out with either clean water or eye drops.

It is also important to reduce eyestrain. occurs when your eyes grow tired from intense use, such as staring at a for an extensive time or reading in dim light. There are several methods to help reduce eyestrain (Figure 3.16). One simple way to reduce eyestrain is to the amount of time spent looking at a screen.

Common Vision Conditions 📷

For many people, especially young people, vision works well. Other people, however, experience vision conditions. For example, in some people, the shape of the eyeball is such that light does not focus where it needs to focus—on the . People whose parents have vision conditions are also more likely to have vision conditions themselves. Vision conditions are more common in older people because aging can cause changes in parts of the eye.

The following are the most common vision conditions:

• (or myopia) is a condition in which objects close to the eye appear clear, while objects farther away appear blurry. In the eye of someone who is nearsighted, light focuses in front of the retina instead of on the retina.

• (or hyperopia) is a condition in which distant objects are seen more clearly than nearby objects. In the eye of someone who is farsighted, light focuses behind the retina instead of on the retina.

• is a condition in which the eye does not focus light evenly onto the retina. As a result, objects appear blurry and stretched out.

Fortunately, these conditions can usually be corrected with glasses or contact lenses (Figure 3.17). Surgery can also correct, or improve, some vision conditions. (or laser in-situ keratomileusis) is a surgery that reshapes the cornea. This allows light to reach the retina, and helps improve vision.

Ears

What do the following activities have in common: target shooting, woodworking, playing in a band, attending rock concerts, and using a leaf blower? All of these activities can contribute to . Many teens regularly expose themselves to , often through headphones. The sense of hearing allows you to listen to music you enjoy, talk with friends, and be alerted to approaching cars and other dangers. Your ears also play a role in helping you keep your balance. In the following sections, you will learn about strategies for maintaining your hearing and common hearing conditions.

Common Ear Conditions

The most serious health condition associated with the ears is permanent loss of hearing. is typically caused by damage to the inner ear. This damage is often the result of repeated exposure to loud sounds. This may mean exposure to loud music through headphones (Figure 3.20).

Sound intensity, or , is measured in units called decibels. You can experience hearing loss by listening to sounds at or above over an extended period of time. The louder the sound, the less time it takes for hearing damage to occur.

Hearing loss can also be caused more suddenly by a eardrum. This may occur as a result of loud blasts of noise, sudden changes in pressure, insertion of an object into the ear, or an infection. In fact, just one exposure to a very loud sound, blast, or impulse (at or above 120 decibels) can cause hearing loss.

Unfortunately, many people do not notice that they are losing their hearing because damage from noise exposure is usually gradual. By the time they notice, they have substantial symptoms of permanent hearing loss. Early signs of hearing damage include the following:

• difficulty relatively soft sounds, such as doorbells

• difficulty understanding speech during or in noisy environments

• pain or in the ears, or tinnitus, after exposure to excessively loud sounds

If you suddenly lose your hearing, seek immediate medical attention. If you notice hearing over time, talk to your doctor about symptoms. In addition, schedule regular hearing exams to ensure that your hearing is working properly.