When you brush your teeth, you think about bacteria and tooth decay, while a dentist can tell a whole story about your body just by looking at your open mouth. The oral cavity is an indicator of our general health. It’s enough for a professional to look at your teeth to diagnose completely different diseases - from diabetes and anemia to cancer. Your dentist knows about your bad habits and even about your favorite drinks. Here is a list of things that the dentist will probably notice after looking into your mouth.
1. You bite your nails
Even without looking at your hands, the dentist understands that you have a habit such as nail-biting. Such signs as subtle chips on tooth enamel and abrasions on the edges of the front teeth indicate this habit. Usually, the damage is caused by the friction of the upper teeth on the lower ones. In addition, this habit may lead to infectious gum disease.
2. You have bronchitis, heartburn, or kidney problems
Perhaps the most unpleasant thing that dentists face is the bad breath from the mouths of their patients. A highly qualified doctor can distinguish between different types of bad breath, each of which is caused by a certain disease. The smell with hints of fruit occurs due to diabetes, and the smell of fresh fish indicates diseases of the liver or kidneys. If the smell is very unpleasant and intense, most likely you have stomach problems or serious lung diseases. First of all, the dentist is faced with the smell from the mouth and diagnosing other diseases, and then he takes up your teeth.
3. You have a lack of vitamins
When your body lacks a certain group of vitamins, you may experience a burning sensation on your tongue, suffer from bleeding gums, or get delamination of tooth enamel. The best dentist will definitely see all these problems. Iron deficiency can manifest itself in the oral cavity in different ways. You may have small wounds in the corners of your mouth or the color of your tongue will change.
4. You have diabetes
Blood sugar imbalance greatly affects the condition of the gums. They may become too sensitive, swell and bleed. The consistency of saliva may also change. A good dentist will notice these symptoms and will warn you about the risk of diabetes.
5. You have mouth cancer
The first signs of mouth cancer are bleeding in the mouth, swelling, thickening, and damaged oral mucosa. If the doctor notices these things in you, he or she will advise you to do a biopsy of certain areas for dangerous diseases.
6. You’re addicted to energy drinks
It may seem to you that a piece of tooth broke off because you closed your jaw too hard during eating dinner last Friday, but the cause of this thing could be even worse. The teeth are softened with a lot of sugar in carbonated drinks. Energy drinks are even more dangerous: they have high acidity and contain a lot of sugar, therefore they contribute to the destruction of enamel and may cause tooth decay and even tooth loss.
The bottom line
A dentist's examination can reveal a lot about a person's overall health. From bad habits like nail-biting to more serious health issues such as diabetes and mouth cancer, a dentist can diagnose and determine a variety of conditions just by looking into a patient's mouth. It is important to regularly visit your dentist to ensure not only the health of your teeth and gums but also to detect potential health problems early on.
Additionally, it is essential to be mindful of your diet and lifestyle choices, as they can have a significant impact on your oral health. By taking care of your oral health, you are also taking care of your overall well-being.