Pink Eye Disease: Overview, Causes and Treatment

If you ever notice redness and a fluid discharge from your eyes, it is likely that you have pink eye disease. This is a common eye infection that can affect children and adults both. Allergens, viruses and bacteria can cause pink eyes or conjunctivitis.

Thankfully, this infection does not last for a very long time, and its treatment also varies from person to person. To learn more about what pink eye is and how to treat this condition, keep reading this blog till the end.

The condition when you see an inflammation in the eyes is termed conjunctivitis. Its name suggests the main area of infection, called the 'conjunctiva'. This is a clear tissue inside your eyelids and the outer coating of your eyes. The purpose of this tissue is to keep your eyes moist.

This disease is called pink eyes because when the eyes get inflamed, it makes the white portion of your eyes bloodshot. Pink eye disease is very common and contagious. In most cases, children get affected by them first and spread the infection to adults in their house.

Some of the common symptoms of pink eye include:

• Redness in the white portion of an eye or beneath eyelids
• Continuous tearing from the infected eye
• Green or white discharge from your eyes
• Feeling itchy or irritated in one or both eyes
• Burning sensation in the eyes if the infection is caused due to chemicals and irritants
• Swollen eyelids due to inflammation
• Sensitivity to light
• Blurry vision
• Crusting over eyelids after waking up
• Contact lenses feel uncomfortable as they do not stay in place

Here are the common causes of dental caries:

• Formation of Plaque: Plaque is a sticky coat on your teeth that happens when you consume sugar and starchy food. Bacteria start to thrive on them, forming plaques. When plaques harden enough, they form tartars. Tartars make a shield on the bacteria and are very difficult to remove.
• Plaque Attacks: Plaques in your teeth's enamel tend to eliminate the mineral components causing small holes, which is the first stage of the cavity. As the layers of the enamel wear away, acid and bacteria enter the dentin or the next layer of your teeth. Dentin is a soft layer and less resistant to acid. Additionally, the dentin directly connects your tooth's nerves, and cavity attacks might lead to sensitivity.
• Tooth Decay: As your tooth decay progresses, the acid and bacteria move towards your pulp that contains the blood vessels and nerves. As a result, the pulp swells due to irritation caused by bacteria. Since there is no space for the swollen pulp to expand inside your tooth, it presses the surrounding nerves causing severe pain. This discomfort often extends to the external sections of your tooth root, irritating the bones.
• Improper Brushing and Flossing: If you do not clean your teeth after every meal, plaques will form on them, leading to tooth decay. Generally, tooth decay occurs in your molars and premolars as these sections have a lot of pits, crannies, and grooves. In addition, food particles and debris tend to gather easily in these sections, causing decay.
• Not Rinsing Properly: Rinsing your mouth properly after every meal is necessary to get rid of food particles. However, not using fluoride-rich mouthwashes to rinse your mouth might lead to the early stages of dental caries.
• Dry Mouth: Saliva helps in washing away plaque and food debris from your teeth. Additionally, saliva helps counter the acids produced by bacteria inside the mouth. However, lack of saliva causes dry mouth or thrush and might lead to tooth decay.
• Worn-out Dental fillings: As the dental fillings weaken and break, you will notice rough edges in your tooth. This makes it easier for plaques to build up and harden to form tartar. Also, certain dental devices might stop fitting appropriately, allowing tooth decay to develop again.
• Eating Disorder: Tooth cavity might happen due to anorexia and bulimia. In addition, repeated and frequent purging causes stomach acids to wash onto your teeth and can wear out your enamels, causing cavity attacks. Now that you know what a dental cavity is, let's discuss the symptoms of the same that help you diagnose the problem.

The signs and symptoms of dental caries are diagnosed depending on their location and severity. At an early stage, you might not develop any symptoms at all. But as the cavity gets larger, you will notice the following:

• Sudden pain that might occur without any cause.
• Sharp pain while eating or drinking anything hot or cold.
• Extreme tooth sensitivity causing discomfort.
• Black or brown stains on your tooth surface.
• Severe pain when you bite down on something.
• Holes and pits on your enamel that are visible.
• Tooth abscess, inflammation, or pus around the gums and teeth.
• Problem while chewing food.
• Chipped, damaged, or broken teeth.
• Loss of tooth.
• Several gum diseases, including bleeding gums.
• Dental infections causing facial swelling.

Furthermore, cavities can be diagnosed at a dental clinic when:

• You visit the clinic twice a year for regular dental check-ups and cleanings.
• Your dentist uses advanced tools and mechanisms to examine your teeth. Cavity-affected teeth will appear softer when your dentist examines them.
• A dental X-rays is done to show cavities.

Some tips to prevent cavities are:

1. Proper Brushing and Flossing

Brushing after meals twice a day using fluoride-based toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush will help deeply clean your teeth. In addition, you can use an interdental cleaner to clean and floss in between your teeth.

2. Rinse Properly

When your dentist detects that you have a higher risk of cavity attacks, he will suggest you use fluoride-based mouthwash for rinsing. Rinse your mouth properly after every meal. You can also use lukewarm saltwater to rinse your mouth.

3. Dental Sealants

A dental sealant is a protective plastic coat your dentist applies to your teeth to help you chew. Dental sealants seal the corners and pits of your teeth that collect food debris. Thus, plaque and acid do not attack the enamel.

4. Avoid Sugar and Starch

You must avoid food and drinks that contain sugar and starch to prevent bacteria from thriving on them. However, you can have unsweetened beverages such as tea and coffee.

5. Regular Dental Check-ups

Visiting your dentist regularly will ensure you get professional dental cleanings and regular oral check-ups. This will ward off the chances of cavity attacks or any other dental disease.

Tooth cavity treatment includes the following:

1. Dental Filling

Dental fillings include a single or a combination of materials used for teeth restoration, such as metals, plastics, glass, etc. An effective cavity treatment, dental fillings fill up the area of your tooth that is affected by cavity.

2. Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are small tooth-shaped caps to cover up your damaged tooth. Crowns can be made of metal or porcelain and maintain the shape, size, strength, and appearance of your enamel.

3. Root Canal Treatment

Your dentist might suggest a root canal procedure when cavities damage the tooth nerves. Here, they remove the blood vessel tissues, decayed sections of your tooth, and the nerve tissue. After checking for infections, your dentist will recommend medicines to you accordingly.

4. Fluoride Treatment

If your dentist discovers a cavity in your teeth at an early stage, they might suggest fluoride treatment to ensure restoration of your enamel. This will reduce the chances of further tooth decay.