Part of what dentists look for during dental examinations is signs of disease. There are a number of diseases which present symptoms in the mouth. This article discusses some of the diseases which may be indicated during an oral examination.
Anemia is an iron-deficiency disease which results in an insufficiency of red cells in the blood. A dentist may suspect this in a patient with a pale-colored tongue.
A dentist can detect the early signs of oral cancer. These include red, white or discolored lesions, patches or lumps in or around the mouth.
The presence of canker sores — small, shallow ulcers which appear in the mouth and often make eating and talking uncomfortable –may indicate celiac disease. This is also called gluten intolerance and is an inherited immune system dysfunction in which proteins typically found in grains like rye, wheat and barley harm the lining of the small intestine.
Dementia is a category of brain diseases which result in an inability to think and reason clearly. It has been shown that persons with Alzheimer’s disease, a common form of dementia, have more of the kind of bacteria related to gum disease in their brains. There has been speculation that this kind of bacteria may travel from the mouth to the brain and cause further damage.
This is another disease that may also be present if a patient has periodontitis. There is emerging evidence that one disease can increase the risk for the other. A dry mouth may also indicate diabetes.
These diseases include anorexia, a lack of sufficient food consumption and bulimia, binge eating typically followed by self-induced vomiting. A dentist may suspect these diseases because poor nutrition can cause dry mouth, bleeding gums and the erosion of the insides of front teeth associated with bulimia, caused by stomach acid.
Patients with inflamed gums or loose teeth, symptoms of periodontitis, may also have heart disease, because the bacteria that invaded the gums may also have traveled by way of the bloodstream to the heart and caused more problems there
This is another disease that can cause weakening of the jaw bone, resulting in a receding gum line or loose teeth.
A dry mouth is not a normal condition. Among the functions of saliva is to remove bacteria that otherwise would cause cavities, neutralize harmful acids and keep tooth enamel in good condition. A dry mouth can result from the use of some medications, but it can also be a symptom of Parkinson’s disease.
