--- title: "Mouth and gum problems, explained | OralBench" description: "Canker sores, gum disease, dry mouth, bad breath and more: what each one is, what the NIH and the CDC say to do, and where supplements fit." canonical: https://oralbench.com/oral-health alternate_html: https://oralbench.com/oral-health language: en-US last_updated: 2026-10-27 type: categoria --- # Mouth and gum problems, explained 1. [Home](https://oralbench.com/) 2. Mouth & gums Each page starts with what a public health source says: the NIH (its dental research institute, NIDCR, plus NIDDK, NIA and NCCIH), MedlinePlus, the CDC or the FDA. We quote them, date the quote and link the idea to what you'd actually do next. Then we look at the supplement labels on this site and say plainly which claims touch the problem and which don't. None of these pages sells anything, and none replaces a dentist. ## Pages in this section Mouth & gums ### [Bad breath: the usual causes, the unusual ones, and what to do](https://oralbench.com/bad-breath) Halitosis is the medical name for bad breath. Mouth & gums ### [Bottle rot: how bedtime bottles lead to cavities in baby teeth](https://oralbench.com/baby-bottle-tooth-decay) "Baby bottle tooth decay" is the old name for early childhood caries, which the NIH defines as decay in any baby tooth of a child younger than 6. Mouth & gums ### [Canker sores: what sets them off and what eases them](https://oralbench.com/canker-sores) A canker sore, also called an aphthous ulcer, is a painful white or yellow sore with a red border that forms only inside the mouth, and it isn't contagious. Mouth & gums ### [Cold sore or canker sore: which one is it, and does it spread?](https://oralbench.com/cold-sore-or-canker-sore) A cold sore (fever blister) comes from the herpes simplex virus and is very contagious; a canker sore isn't contagious at all. Mouth & gums ### [Diabetes and your gums: how each one makes the other worse](https://oralbench.com/diabetes-and-gums) People with diabetes have a higher chance of periodontal (gum) disease, says the NIH's dental institute (NIDCR), and the link runs both ways: "having gum disease may… Mouth & gums ### [Dry mouth: find the cause first, then the relief](https://oralbench.com/dry-mouth) Xerostomia is the technical term for dry mouth: not having enough saliva to keep your mouth wet. Mouth & gums ### [Gingival recession: when gums pull back from your teeth](https://oralbench.com/receding-gums) Gum recession is the gum pulling back from the tooth. Mouth & gums ### [Gingivitis: inflamed gums, and what settles them](https://oralbench.com/gingivitis) Gingivitis is the first, mildest stage of gum disease. Mouth & gums ### [Gum disease past the early stage: pockets, bone loss and the deep clean](https://oralbench.com/gum-disease) Periodontal (gum) disease is, in the NIDCR's words, "an infection that causes inflammation of the tissues that hold your teeth in place." It begins with swollen, red,… Mouth & gums ### [Gums during pregnancy: why they bleed, and what to do about it](https://oralbench.com/gums-during-pregnancy) Bleeding or swollen gums in pregnancy are usually gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease. Mouth & gums ### [Plaque and tartar: soft film, hard deposit](https://oralbench.com/plaque-and-tartar) Tartar is what plaque turns into when it stays on your teeth. Mouth & gums ### [Scraping your tongue: where it fits in a fresh-breath routine](https://oralbench.com/tongue-scraper) A tongue scraper can be part of keeping your mouth clean, and one NIH institute names it outright: the National Institute on Aging says to "Lightly brush your tongue or… Mouth & gums ### [Sensitive teeth: a warning sign worth taking to the dentist](https://oralbench.com/tooth-sensitivity) Tooth sensitivity is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Mouth & gums ### [Smoker's gums: what cigarettes and vapes do to them](https://oralbench.com/smokers-gums) Smoking is the strongest single risk factor for gum disease: the NIH's dental institute (NIDCR) calls smoking or using tobacco products "the most significant," and the… Mouth & gums ### [Sores inside the mouth: what kind it is and when to worry](https://oralbench.com/mouth-sores) MedlinePlus lists cold sores, canker sores, thrush and leukoplakia among the common mouth problems, and dry mouth and cancer treatment can cause sores too. Mouth & gums ### [Tooth decay, from white spot to cavity](https://oralbench.com/tooth-decay) Tooth decay is damage to the enamel from acid that mouth bacteria make out of sugars and starches, and it can be stopped early, before a hole forms. Mouth & gums ### [Tooth erosion: where the acid comes from and what to do next](https://oralbench.com/tooth-erosion) Tooth erosion is the loss of tooth surface to acid that doesn't come from mouth bacteria. Mouth & gums ### [Why your gums are swollen](https://oralbench.com/swollen-gums) Swollen gums are usually a sign of gum disease, which the NIDCR says "starts with swollen, red, and bleeding gums." NIH pages name a few other situations too: hormonal… Mouth & gums ### [Why your gums bleed when you brush or floss, and what helps](https://oralbench.com/bleeding-gums) Bleeding gums are most often a sign of gingivitis, the mildest form of gum disease, in which the CDC says "the gums become red, swollen, and may easily bleed." Plaque… --- ## OralBench - OralBench, published by Grupo Marfre Automação e Tecnologia (Contagem, Brazil) - Email: contact@oralbench.com - Home: https://oralbench.com/ - llms.txt: https://oralbench.com/llms.txt · llms-full.txt: https://oralbench.com/llms-full.txt · sitemap: https://oralbench.com/sitemap.xml