preventative oral care vocab words

anterior

toward the midline or in the front of the mouth. the teeth from the canines forward. situated near the front, includes 12 teeth (6 maxillary and 6 mandibular)

apex (apical)

pointer end of a cone-shaped part (like an ice cream cone) or the terminal end of the root of a tooth. apical is a directional germ that indicates a direction toward the apex or end of the root of a tooth

arch

a structure of bow-like or curved outline (the side view of santa’s tummy) often used to indicate the top of the jaw. you might hear someone say “the bottom arch” and they would be referring to the mandible or bottom jaw

biofilm

the surface film that contains microorganisms and other biological substances

buccal

pertaining to or directed toward the cheek, often used to designate the side of the tooth that faces the cheek. the tooth surface that is toward the cheek or face

calcus

also called tartar. a mineralized, hard deposit derived from plaque biofilm and salivary mineral salts. forms on tooth and root surfaces and oral appliances. hard, mineral deposits that form on the teeth, what is removed during the scaling process

caries

commonly known as cavities or tooth decay

cementum

the tissue covering the root of the tooth

cementoenamel junction (CEJ)

the line where the enamel and the cementum of the tooth join

concave

rounded and somewhat depressed or hollowed out, think of a cave as being a hollowed-out part of a hillside

convex

having a rounded, somewhat elevated surface (the hill itself)

coronal

toward the crown or top of a tooth, rather than toward the root (apical)

crown

the portion of the tooth that is covered in enamel, this is the portion of the tooth we see in the oral cavity

deciduous teeth

the first set of teeth, also known as primary teeth

dentifrice

toothpaste

dentin

the tissue of the tooth between the pulp and the enamel and the pulp and the cementum; the majority of the tooth

dentition

the teeth in the dental arches -- top and bottom

distal

away from the middle; often used to describe the side of a particular tooth that is closest to the posterior or back of the mouth

dorsal

the top surface

edema

swelling

edentulous

lacking teeth, can be area specific or the whole mouth

enamel

the hard, outer surface layer of teeth. protects against tooth decay. is considered the hardest mineral substance in your body, even stronger than a bone. covers the crown of the tooth

eruption

teeth coming through the gingiva

erythema

redness of tissue, usually a sign of inflammation

exfoliation

the loss of teeth, primary teeth exfoliate as the permanent teeth erupt

expectorate

to spit

extraction

the removal of a tooth or root fragment

facial

of or toward the face, used to designate the side of the tooth that is facing away from the tongue side. buccal and labial are both facial surfaces. the surface toward the cheek, face, or lips

fissure

natural groove in the tooth

gingiva

the part of the oral masticatory mucosa that surrounds the necks of the teeth and is attached to the teeth and the alveolar bone. known as the gums

gingival margin

the edge of the gingiva that touches the tooth. is usually right at the crown of the tooth

gingival recession

sometime due to disease processes or aggressive brushing. the gingiva recedes from the crown of the tooth and portions of the root can be seen

gingivitis

an inflammation of the gingiva usually due to retention of plaque/biofilm in the area caused by poor oral hygiene

incisal

toward the cutting edge of anterior teeth

incisors

anterior teeth. the 2 large front teeth (central incisors) and the tooth on either side (lateral incisors). there are 8 incisors, 4 maxillary and 4 mandibular

inferior

below or lower than a specified point of refernece

inflammation

the body’s immune response to harmful stimuli. the signs of inflammation are pain, swelling, redness, and heat in the tissue

interproximal

the area between two adjacent teeth

labial

of or toward the lips, used most often to designate the side of the tooth facing the lips, so the term would refer to an anterior tooth

lingual

of or toward the tongue, to identify the surface of a tooth that faces the tongue

mandible

bottom jaw that is able to move

mandibular teeth

the bottom teeth

marginal gingiva

the border or edge of gingiva nearest the incisal/occlusal surface, marks opening of ginigval sulcus; also called free gingiva

maxilla

top jaw that does NOT move

maxillary teeth

top teeth

mesial

toward the middle; often used to describe the side of a particular tooth that is closest to the anterior or front of the mouth

midline

the imaginary line that goes vertically down the middle of the face between the two central incisors

occlusal

toward the chewing surface of the posterior teeth

occlusion

the way the teeth fit together when both arches come together (occlude)

periodontal disease

* an oral disease that causes inflammation and bone loss around the teeth
* can be a single tooth, several teeth, or through-out the oral cavity
* oral bacteria and genetics play a strong role in this disease development and progression

periodotium

the surrounding and supporting structures of the teeth

posterior

directed toward or situated at the back; opposite of anterior

quadrants

the mouth is divided into 4; upper right, lower right, upper left, lower left

root

the lower portion of the tooth which is typically not visible when looking in the oral cavity

subgingival

below the gingival margin

superior

above or higher than a specified point of reference

supragingival

above the gingival margin

ventral

toward the bottom surface; the underside of the tongue is known as the ventral surface

alb, albus, leuk

white

chlor

green

cyan

blue

eryth

red

melan

black

xanth

yellow