Diseases that your dentist can detect

Your mouth may be the mirror of your overall health.

Cavities and other mouth diseases aren’t the only ones to be detected by dentists.

Regular visits to your dentist can serve to rule out other diseases.

Through periodic inspections that are part of your oral health, these doctors can be on the front lines to detect other health conditions that may be reflected in your mouth.

Some relatively serious health problems may begin to manifest in the health of your teeth, gums or other tissues of the mouth.

Dentists can be the first to suspect a more serious health condition such as:

Osteoporosis

The x-rays that you take at least once a year at the dentist can serve to detect this problem sooner. Although osteoporosis don’t reflect specifically on the teeth, it changes the bone structure that supports them. Loose teeth can be a signal of this problem.

Diabetes

One of the causes that can make a doctor wary of diabetes are recurrent bleeds or other inflammation in the gums. These inflammations may also take longer to heal, which can be a sign of diabetes.

Gastric reflux

Gastric reflux causes, typically, erosion of tooth enamel, especially in the thrid molar.

Chron’s disease

Bumps in the gums around the teeth can be enough to alert a dentist of Chron’s disease. This is because the same inflammation that occurs in the intestines can attack the same way the mouth of who suffer this disease.

Heart problems

Sick gums or abnormal parodontitis in a well cared mouth can launch the alert about patients that may have a greater chance to have heart diseases.

Jaw pain, with no apparent reason can be a silent indicator of a heart attack.

Dementia

At more advanced ages, a poor oral hygiene can indicate signs of dementia.