Six Serious Health Problems Your Dentist Might Find

Your lips, teeth, and gums don’t lie—here’s what they can reveal about your overall health.

Your mouth is like a crystal ball for your health. That’s because a good dentist can spot a wide range of potential medical problems by looking between your chompers.

In fact, we found 6 serious health conditions that could be first discovered while you’re getting your teeth cleaned.

1. Diabetes

Your dentist sees: Less spit than you should have. Dry mouth can signal a hidden case of diabetes, but you might not notice that parched feeling until your saliva production decreases by half, says Gigi Meinecke, D.M.D., F.A.G.D., spokesperson of the Academy of General Dentistry.

Your dentist’s trained eye can spot dryness much sooner. Chronic bad breath and slow healing when you burn or cut your mouth also might arouse suspicion. (You shouldn’t ignore these Silent Warning Signs of Diabetes, either.)

What to do: According to a recent NYU study, your dentist may soon be able to screen for and control diabetes using blood collected from your gums during a routine visit. But until this test is widely available, see your primary care doctor for a physical and blood glucose check.

2. Acid reflux

Your dentist sees: Erosion in your bottom teeth. Any substance with a pH of 5.5 or lower can dissolve your tooth enamel—and gastric acid clocks in as low as 1.5, easily eating away at your pearly whites, Dr. Meinecke says.

According to a recent study in the International Journal of Dentistry, about 1 in 4 people with chronic reflux have tooth erosion, sometimes without heartburn or other obvious symptoms.

What to do: Schedule an appointment with a gastroenterologist. Untreated gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can lead to more serious health problems, including respiratory issues and esophageal cancer.

3. Crohn’s disease

Your dentist sees: Raised bumps that look like cobblestones on the gums right around your teeth. That’s because the same inflammation that strikes the intestines of people with Crohn’s disease can also affect their mouths, causing this classic sign, Dr. Meinecke says.

Because these bumps aren’t painful, you might not even notice them before your dentist spots them. What’s more, recurring canker sores—those small, painful ulcers that form inside your mouth—could also signal Crohn’s or another type of inflammatory bowel disease, notes a recent review in the Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice.

What to do: Ask the dentist if topical corticosteroids can calm the inflammation in your mouth.  And see a gastroenterologist for an evaluation of what’s going on in your gut.

4. Heart disease

Your dentist sees: Gum or periodontal disease in a person who doesn’t fit the profile—say, a younger guy who brushes frequently. Signs like swollen, red gums that bleed, coupled with other cardiovascular risk factors like extra weight and family history can raise a red flag, says Dr. Meinecke.

What to do: Ask your dentist about treating your dental disease with deep cleanings or other techniques. Doing so could keep you out of the hospital due to heart disease, stroke, or another health issue, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Then book a visit with your primary care doctor to assess your heart risks. People with periodontal disease have up to triple the risk of having a heart attack or stroke, says David Paquette, D.M.D., M.P.H., D.M.Sc., of Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine. (Make sure you’re not falling prey to these 5 Common Heart-Health Myths, too.)

5. Cancer

Your dentist sees: Slight discolorations where tissues look whiter or redder than normal, often far back in your throat. That’s the way many oral cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV)—on the rise among young men—begin.

In fact, Dr. Meinecke says she now looks closely for signs in anyone age 14 and older. (Plus, Older Guys Might Be More Vulnerable to Oral HPV, potentially raising their risk of developing head and neck cancers as a result.)

What to do: Your dentist may ask you to come back in 7 days to see if anything’s changed. If not, get a biopsy. If you do have cancer, early detection improves the odds of successful treatment, Dr. Meinecke says.

6. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

Your dentist sees: Jaw swelling, and you can feel pain, too. Unlike osteoarthritis, which commonly occurs as you get older, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune condition that sometimes strikes young people. And half of those with early-onset RA first display symptoms of temporomandibular joint dysfunction, better known as TMJ. In addition to feeling an achy jaw, you also might not be able to open your mouth very wide, Dr. Meinecke says.

What to do: Take the issue to your family doctor or a medical specialist known as a rheumatologist. They usually diagnose and treat RA.

Article by Men’s Health Magazine (http://www.menshealth.com/health/health-problems-your-dentist-can-spot)

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