Can dentists spot diabetes? 5 things your mouth reveals about your health

When it comes to dental check-ups, they reveal far more about you than you may think.

Of course they show the basics, like if you have been brushing regularly, if you smoke and whether or not you have a sweet tooth, but your teeth can also tell our team more than these simple things. In fact, in recent years, more and more studies have linked irregularities which appear in the mouth to issues elsewhere in the body, making it even more important to see our team for regular check-ups.

At our surgery, we take your oral and physical health very seriously and will always make sure that you leave each appointment with us with improved dental health. Our general dentist for Whanganui, New Zealand will aim to refer you to another member of our specialist team if they feel you need more specialist help, such as endodontic procedures or scale and polishes, to keep your oral health in top shape.

But what are some of those health issues that our general dentist for Whanganui, New Zealand can detect during a dental check-up?

Intestinal issues

As your mouth is the first part of your digestive system, it should come as no surprise that our general dentist for Whanganui, New Zealand can spot if there are issues in your tummy.

Indeed, everything from signs of acid erosion on the back of your teeth to brown, yellow or white spots on your teeth can point to an intestinal issue.

Osteoporosis

When you join our team, we will take a set of X-rays as part of your basic profile.

However, an X-ray may also reveal issues with your jawbone and can actually highlight the signs of osteoporosis to our team. If we do detect this or any other degenerative bone disorder, we will endeavour to check its progress at each check-up we have with you and will recommend that you follow up with your doctor.

Diabetes

If you have frequent bouts of gum disease, accompanied by sweet-smelling breath, you may have diabetes.

If we consistently find signs of gum disease at each check-up, we will advise you to once again follow up with your regular doctor.

Remember, gum disease can be treated effectively if you do have diabetes, and our team will refer you to our hygienist for regular scales and polishes to keep plaque at bay.

Stress

In the modern world, stress is everywhere and in recent times more people are reporting it to their doctors.

But doctors are not the only ones who can detect stress; if you have frequent ulcers, sore spots on your gums or have signs of acid reflux, this could all point to stress or depression. While our team cannot treat these serious issues, we can ensure that the discomfort caused by the associated symptoms is alleviated.

Allergies

If you have food intolerances or allergies, they will probably show up in your mouth.

When our team spots consistent breakouts of ulcers, we may suggest you see an allergy specialist promptly.

DISCLAIMER

All treatment carries risks. Individual consultation is required with one of our practitioners to ensure that the treatment is right for you.