What Your Mouth Can Tell You About Your Overall Health

We’re taught from a young age to look after our teeth. For most people, a healthy mouth is a straight, white smile. But our mouths are so much more than just our smiles, and they can provide us with a lot of information on our general health and wellbeing.

Below are some of the wider health issues associated with our oral health as well as other medical conditions that you can tell from the condition of your mouth.

 

Poor Oral Health

Tooth decay and gum disease can not only impact your oral health but can affect you in more significant ways too. It can feel daunting to visit the dentist if you need a lot of treatment, but it is better that you deal with this as soon as possible. There are a number of interest free dental plans which you can explore if it’s going to be expensive.

• Gum disease and infection have been linked to:
• Endocarditis
• Cardiovascular disease
• Pregnancy complications
• Stress

You may not know this but a stressful lifestyle can sometimes be seen in the condition of your teeth. Teeth grinding is common when you’re stressed and is often done when you’re asleep. Your dentist can provide you with a protective mouthguard to prevent grinding and you should look at ways to reduce the amount of stress in your life.

 

Anaemia

Are your gums and tongue very pale? If so then you may have anaemia, which is a condition where the body doesn’t have enough red blood cells. There are a number of causes of anaemia and your doctor should investigate the potential cause.

 

A Weakened Immune System

Our immune system is there to fight off infections and viruses. When it isn’t functioning correctly, you can find yourself getting sick more often, or reacting particularly badly to mild infections. When it comes to your mouth, if you find that you are developing oral thrush, dry mouth or recurring ulcers, then this can be a sign that your immune system is not working as it should. 

A weakened immune system can be caused by a number of things including stress, an unhealthy lifestyle or an underlying medical condition. You should visit your doctor so that they can investigate why your immune system might be sluggish.

 

Poor Diet

A diet that is high in sugar and acids is easy to spot in the mouth as it can cause tooth decay and the weakening of the tooth enamel. But it’s also possible to detect the deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals from the mouth too. A dry mouth cracked lips and problems with producing saliva can indicate that you aren’t getting enough B vitamins and iron in your diet. If you have a balanced and varied diet, then this could indicate that your body isn’t absorbing nutrients properly.

 

Our mouths are so important to our overall health, it’s important to keep our mouths in the best condition we can and learn to look for any signs that might indicate there are other potential issues that might be happening in your body.