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Your Mouth Is Telling on You

It is common to think that your mouth and body are two separate entities. In reality, they are two parts of the same body. This means that what affects the body will, in some way, affect the mouth, too. Your oral health and overall health are connected. The opposite is also true. This is why a dentist can look in your mouth and detect signs of some diseases that you may not even know that you have.

Non-dental Problems the Dentist May Find

As the dentist looks into your mouth, they may discover several health problems. These problems may include:

Diabetes

One of the most common non-dental problems that will be evident in your mouth is diabetes. This health problem is widespread and as many as 7.2 million people have it but do not yet know it. When diabetes is present there could be several symptoms that can affect your dental health. They include:

Gum disease
Dry mouth
Oral thrush.

Gum disease needs to be controlled at the same time as diabetes. They interact with each other, but controlling gum disease will reduce the symptoms of diabetes. Uncontrolled diabetes may also cause frequent gum abscesses, a lot of bone loss, and swelling rather quickly.

GERD

If your teeth are eroded and pitted, it means that you have GERD or acid reflux. When you sleep, the acid enters your mouth and can sit behind your lower front teeth for long periods. This erodes the enamel on those teeth and the dentist will easily notice it.

Osteoporosis

This health condition makes the bones get thinner and typically affects women after menopause. The usual symptoms are a stooped posture and back pain because of a collapsed vertebra. This medical problem can be detected by dentists because of loose teeth that are not caused by periodontal disease and if the individual maintains good oral health.

Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is a serious problem that may be detected in your mouth by the dentist during an oral exam. Oral cancer cases are increasing due to the spread of the human papillomavirus – HPV. It can lie dormant for decades. When oral cancer does appear, treatment is needed quickly because it can spread fast. More than 53,000 people will be diagnosed with it this year and about 10,000 will die from it.

Kidney Disease

When your kidneys are working correctly, they will help your body remove waste products. If not, there will be a buildup of toxins in your body and in your mouth. The buildup may also affect your breath, which could give it a sweet smell or make it smell like urine. It can also cause you to have dry mouth – which could lead to gum disease.

How Poor Oral Health Affects the Rest of Your Body

When you do not take good care of your teeth, there will be a buildup of bacteria on your teeth called plaque. The plaque will soon form tartar if it is not removed often. As tartar is formed, the bacteria that can cause gum disease hides in it. Since tartar forms above and below the gum line, the bacteria will easily get access to your gums; and once there, it has access to your bloodstream. The bacteria produce acid and toxins that will irritate the gums, which will lead to gum disease.

In recent years it has been discovered that there is a strong connection between having gum disease and other severe health problems. Once in the bloodstream, it will result in buildups of bacteria and inflammation throughout your body and organs.

This can lead to many serious health conditions. It includes such problems as cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, dementia, early births, and many more. It is known that many patients (91 percent) that have heart disease also have periodontitis.

If you are wondering what a difference it makes to keep your teeth clean and free of gum disease, there are some statistics you should consider. People with periodontitis have a:

65 percent higher risk of developing dementia
53 percent greater risk of having a heart attack.

Periodontal Treatment

If you already have periodontal disease, it is best to see a dentist right away. It is not going to go away by itself. The CDC says that about 50 percent of adults over 30 have it. The dentist, or periodontist, will need to provide you with some treatments to remove it. In addition to medications, you will likely be given a non-surgical treatment called scaling and root planing. With the right treatment, periodontal disease can be eliminated, but some repair work may also need to be done.

If you have been avoiding the dentist for some time, it may be a good idea for a visit. This will enable you to get your teeth cleaned, checked for gum disease, and get a check on your overall health. You can get a dental checkup to ensure you have good dental health and non-dental health from Champion Dental Clinic, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas. We provide a wide variety of dental services and most dental insurance plans are accepted. To set up a consultation or to get more information about maintaining good oral hygiene for better health, you can contact us at (214) 747-0763.

Best Way to Communicate with Your Dentist

Doctor’s visits can often leave you confused and frustrated. Sometimes you may feel like the visit was rushed and you did not get a chance to tell the doctor everything you wanted to say or ask about. You felt like the doctor or dentist was in a hurry and did not have time to talk.

The Communication Gap

Studies have revealed that there is often a big communication gap between doctors or dentists and their patients. As many as 75 percent of doctors asked about it felt that they believed they had good communication with their patients. Patients, however, felt completely different about it, with only 21 percent feeling that they had good communication with their doctor.

Good communication is crucial to getting the treatment you need, feeling better, and getting better health. In order for this to happen, your doctor needs to know what your complaints are. They cannot treat it if they do not know it is a problem. This makes good communication mandatory, but you will need to express yourself more clearly to the doctor.

Determine Why Communication Is a Problem

You need to ask yourself what is the reason behind the communication problem. Is it because you forgot to ask the doctor about the problem? Is it because the doctor is not giving you a chance to talk about your problems? Is it because the doctor is so focused on one health problem that there is not time to talk about other issues?

Write Down the Topics to Discuss

If you have more than one concern, it is important to write down a list of topics. This way you are less likely to forget them when you need to talk about them. Write down the various things you want to discuss in advance. This will help you think about all of them.

If you are having particular symptoms that you wonder about, be sure to write them down. Write down when they started, and if you can, write down what you were doing when those symptoms started. Also be sure to record the frequency and severity of the symptoms, and how long they lasted. If there is a pattern or an activity that triggers the symptoms, this will help the doctor to determine the problem better.

Cover the Most Important Problems First

When you talk to the doctor, be sure to mention the most pressing problem first. This way, if you are not able to discuss anything else, the biggest problem will get covered. Think about how you need to say it in a very concise but accurate way.

Bring a List of Medications

Carry a list of the medications you are taking, as well as any natural supplements. You also should have a list of various illnesses or allergies that you have or have had – such as diabetes, or a heart attack. It is also a good idea to include a list of your family’s history of illnesses.

Use a Spokesperson

If you have trouble speaking clearly for yourself, bring someone else with you who understand the problem. This can be especially valuable for older people, or for someone who has is getting dementia.

Listen to the Doctor

While you certainly want the doctor to hear your problems, it is just as important that you hear and understand what the doctor is telling you. If you do not understand terms, be sure to ask for an explanation. Or, if you feel you will not remember the details, ask the doctor if you can record the conversation.

Understand the Results You Should Expect

Although the doctor may prescribe some medication or recommend treatment or therapy, some of them take time to make an impact on the symptoms involved. Ask the doctor how long it will take to get recovered, and what you need to do to prevent a relapse. Are other treatments going to be necessary or ongoing?

Find Out about Lifestyle Habits

Many times patient recovery and a better quality of life can be gained by changing some lifestyle habits and continuing to practice them. Ask the doctor for a recommendation of habits that you may be able to change or add to your daily routine.

The bottom line is that your doctor or dentist may feel that he or she is communicating well with you. Since you do not believe that to be the case, it really is up to you to let the doctor know about the gap in communication skills that you feel exist. If there is no response in the direction you feel should be made – find another one who will listen and that you can trust more.

Although the dentist can see some of the problems your gums and teeth may have, good communication is necessary for good oral health. Champion Dental clinic understands the importance of communication between dentist and patients. We seek to develop effective communication with each visit. If you need quality dental care with a dentist who listens patiently to your needs, you can contact our office today at 214-747-0763

Tag: dentist

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