(By Dr. Joseph D. Lim and Dr. Kenneth Lester Lim, BS-MMG, DDM, MSc-OI)
YOUR dentist may be the first to see ailments beyond plaque, cavities, and gum disease.
These ailments may actually be life threatening.
Over 100 health issues can produce signs in the mouth, according to the American Heart Association. Dentists are trained to detect these issues in the teeth, gums, tongue, palate, lips, jaw, face and neck.
Dentists can detect a lengthy list of ailments, writes Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor of Harvard Women’s Health Watch.
“Oral cancer. Rough spots, swelling, bumps, or unexplained bleeding in the mouth might signal head and neck cancers, as do irregularities in the face, lips, jaw, or neck,” she enumerates.
While head and neck cancer accounts for only about 4 percent of all cancers in the United States, patches of mucosa that are either red or white, as well as lumps or sores, are some of the things dentists would find suspicious,” says Dr. Christine Riedy, an associate professor in oral public health and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
About one in 10 Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes; nearly one in four adults don’t know they have diabetes, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
When sugar levels are elevated in the blood, they’re also elevated in saliva, writes Ms. Salamon. “Bacteria in dental plaque feed on that, fueling inflamed and bleeding gums. Diabetes can also lead to dry mouth and infections in the mouth that take longer to heal.”
More than one in four American adults are believed to have sleep apnea, a condition of frequent lapses in breathing during sleep, often accompanied by heavy snoring. Untreated, the condition raises risk for serious conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
Dentists might suspect sleep apnea if they notice enlargement of the tonsils, tongue, or jaw muscles; a red throat; or signs of teeth grinding, says Dr. Riedy.
Osteoporosis can be indicated by missing and loose teeth; it can also show up on x-rays of the teeth and jaw.
Eroded enamel on back teeth that may be discolored is a symptom of acid reflux. It may indicate that gastric acid has actually reached their mouth.
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Dr. Joseph D. Lim, Ed. D., is the former Associate Dean of the College of Dentistry, University of the East; former Dean, College of Dentistry, National University; Past President and Honorary Fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy; Honorary Fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists; Honorary Life Member of the Thai Association of Dental Implantology; and Founding Chairman of the Philippine College of Oral Implantologists. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515.
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Dr. Kenneth Lester Lim, BS-MMG, DDM, MSc-OI, graduated Doctor of Dental Medicine, University of the Philippines, College of Dentistry, Manila, 2011; Bachelor of Science in Marketing Management, De la Salle University, Manila, 2002; and Master of Science (MSc.) in Oral Implantology, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany, 2019. He is an Associate Professor; Fellow, International Congress of Oral Implantologists; and Fellow, Philippine College of Oral Implantologists. For questions on dental health, e-mail limdentalcenter@gmail.com/PN
