What exactly is a disease? When something is structurally or functionally wrong with the body and causes internal suffering, it is called disease. There are always some or other signs or symptoms of diseases. The ones noticed frequently get recognised and treated better, others get unintentionally ignored. These are rare diseases, 1 in 2000 or more people gets afflicted by such illness. 

The attempt to raise awareness towards various rare diseases has been an ongoing struggle. “Rare Disease Day” is observed 28th February (or 29th in leap years), this day is perceived as an awareness spreader in respect towards such sickness. 

The majority of people suffering from rare diseases have some or other genetically transferred condition. But there are other factors like genetic mutation, malnutrition, etc, that are also in play.  Rare diseases are not just present in mainstream medicine, dentistry is just as much burdened with rarely found illnesses.

Aggressive Juvenile Periodontitis - It is caused due to Genetic or deficiency, besides adults, children can also develop aggressive gum disease. This is known to advance at a fast pace, damaging gum and bone which surrounds the tooth. Tooth loss is very common in this condition.

Ectodermal Dysplasia - This is a hereditary disorder, with abnormal development of cells/tissues. The patient may suffer from multiple to completely missing teeth. The teeth that may develop can be unusual in appearance like conical and smaller in shape. 

Sjögren’s Syndrome - It is a disorder where the immune system attacks the body itself. It causes severely dry mouths and eyes, bleeding gums and infections are very common symptoms of this condition. 

Amelogenesis & Dentinogenesis Imperfecta - It is a genetic disorder or deficiency that causes malformations in the developing teeth. In this, the teeth are prone to breakage and are unusually small and are odd coloured.

Even though these conditions are one in a million chances, they do occur and do not get detected until later in life because of a lack of information. On this Rare Disease Day, we want to draw your attention to the problems of oral health. 

Remember to be watchful of any early signs of oral diseases and consult a skilled dentist as soon as you detect something out of the ordinary. Keeping a regular check is also important, visit your dentist twice a year. At MyDentalPlan - India’s largest dental network, find an experienced dentist near you along with customised plans and treatment benefit options, all at your fingertips. https://mydentalplan.in/