Oral Health Exam Treatments Woodland Hills

5 Things Your Dentist Can Tell About Your Overall Health

During a comprehensive dental exam, a general dentist will carefully scrutinize your teeth, gums, tongue, and other structures in the mouth. A visual exam coupled with palpation can tell your dentist a lot about your oral health, such as whether you smoke, if you have gum disease, and whether you grind your teeth (bruxism). But did you know that your dentist can also determine the state of your overall health just by examining your mouth? In fact, along with your primary care doctor, you can consider your dentist to be one of your first lines of defense against medical problems. The early identification of health issues is often crucial for the best possible outcome, so don’t be shy about asking your dentist to explain the findings of the exam.

Heart Disease

A dental exam may reveal whether you have an increased risk of developing heart disease. Gum diseases, such as periodontitis, involve bacterial infections. Bacterial infections in the mouth can inflict a lot of damage, and unfortunately, they don’t necessarily stay in the mouth. Bacteria can travel from your mouth to your heart, where they can increase your risk of coronary artery disease. 

Bacteria can also affect the health of your arteries by increasing the risk of plaque build-up. Pockets of plaque in the arteries can rupture, which triggers the formation of blood clots. These blood clots can then partially or totally obstruct the blood flow to the heart—causing a heart attack. It’s just one more good reason to schedule regular cleanings at your dental office, as this will reduce the bacteria in your mouth.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the body has trouble producing or using insulin effectively. Insulin is a hormone that escorts blood glucose into cells, where it can be used for fuel. In diabetics, glucose builds up in the bloodstream, increasing the risk of all sorts of complications—including oral health problems.

Your dentist might be the first to discover that you may have diabetes, although a medical test will be needed to confirm it. That’s because diabetics are at a higher risk of bleeding, inflamed gums and loose teeth. Furthermore, mouth infections can actually worsen a diabetic’s ability to manage blood glucose properly. It’s generally recommended that adults at an average risk of diabetes get their blood sugar tested every three years. However, if your dentist finds evidence of possible diabetes, you should schedule a test right away.

Osteoporosis

The good news about osteoporosis is that it doesn’t directly affect your teeth. That is, your teeth won’t lose density because of osteoporosis. The bad news is that osteoporosis does affect the underlying bone that supports your teeth. If you have osteoporosis, your dentist may discover it by noticing that your teeth are getting loose or that you have a receding gum line.

Note that routine osteoporosis screenings are recommended for women age 65 or older, men age 70 or older, and anyone younger who has certain risk factors. Even if you don’t fit into the screening criteria, you may want to talk to your doctor about getting an osteoporosis screening if your dentist finds evidence that your jawbone is decreasing in density.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

GERD is a digestive disorder. It’s characterized by the frequent backflow of stomach acid into the esophagus. GERD is generally diagnosed in people who experience mild acid backflow at least twice weekly or moderate to severe acid backflow at least once weekly.

Your dentist can tell if you’re experiencing the symptoms of GERD just by looking at your teeth. That’s because stomach acid is incredibly potent. It eats away at the enamel of the teeth, causing the teeth to become weakened and at a greater risk of tooth decay. Dentists generally find that patients with GERD experience enamel loss at the back molars, since these are closest to the throat. If your dentist finds that your GERD symptoms are not well controlled, he or she may recommend that you talk to your primary care doctor about changing your GERD treatment plan. Without effective treatment, GERD can increase your risk of esophageal cancer.

Dental Anxiety or Nervousness

Dentists often work with patients who suffer from dental anxiety. However, this isn’t the only type of anxiety dentists can identify. People who suffer from severe or chronic stress and anxiety are at a higher risk of an oral health problem known as bruxism. Bruxism refers to teeth grinding. It may occur during the daytime or during sleep. Sometimes, teeth grinding will wake up the patient, but in other cases, patients are completely unaware that they have been grinding their teeth.

Your dentist can pick up on the signs of bruxism just by examining your mouth. People who grind their teeth tend to acquire chips, cracks, and even fractures of the teeth. You’ll also likely experience facial pain, headaches, earaches, and pain and stiffness of the jaw. The pain can be severe enough to inhibit eating and speaking. This can further worsen anxiety. You might want to consider talking to a counselor about your stress and anxiety, and your dentist can help protect your teeth by creating a custom-made mouthguard that you’ll wear during sleep.

Pearl Zadeh, DDS is a general, cosmetic, and holistic dentist who focuses on her patients’ overall well-being. To schedule an appointment at our office in Woodland Hills, CA, get in touch at (818) 716-6722. Be sure to mention if you suffer from dental anxiety, as we can take extra steps to help you stay relaxed and comfortable during your appointment.