Mouth Conditions That May Be Telling You Something

Bad Breath   Your mouth’s conditions may be indications of other health issues.If you brush and floss regularly and use a tongue scraper, but still have bad breath, you may need a check for gum disease. Other reasons for the bad breath may be a high protein diet, uncontrolled diabetes, or alcoholism. This is a metabolic condition called ketoacidosis.   Swollen Gums   Swollen gums could also be a sign of gum disease. This should always be checked by a dentist. Your dentist or dental hygienist should be able to tell you right away if you have gum disease.   Some other oral symptoms may actually be indicative of seemingly unrelated heath problems.   Eroded Enamel   Eroded enamel may be caused by acid in your diet. Acid in your diet may be coming from sodas and citrus fruits. But acid could also be coming from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Acid reflux is stomach acid that comes up the esophagus, causes heartburn and sometimes reaches the mouth. This can cause enamel loss from the teeth being “digested” by the stomach acid. People who binge/purge (bulimics) have the same problem with acid reaching the teeth.   Dry Mouth   Dry mouth, or xerostomia is very common as you age. Medications may be causing it, but it may be related to symptoms beyond your dental health. Diabetes, arthritis, scleroderma, lupus among other things may be the cause. Ask your dentist if you have this condition.   Loose Teeth   Loose teeth may be a sign of gum disease as well. Bacteria below the gum line can cause tissue and bone to break down. This may also be the sign of an infection or scleroderma, a connective tissue disease that causes people to have changes in muscles, blood vessels, skin and organs.   White or Red Patches   Sometimes a white or red patch on the tongue or lining of the mouth may indicate cancer. This is usually accompanied by a strange taste, problems chewing, pain when swallowing or having speech trouble.   White or Brown Lines On Teeth   White or Brown lines on teeth, especially in children, may be telling you they are getting too much fluoride. If you get too much fluoride, the symptoms may also be nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. Keep the toothpaste out of reach of children and if they ingest a large quantity, call poison control immediately. Fluoride is safe in small quantities, and is usually in community water supplies, some bottled water and even in some juices.   Burning Mouth   A feeling of your lips or tongue burning may be caused by medications, nutritional deficiencies, fungal infections and hormone changes in women.   Regular checkups and telling your Gentle Dental dentist of any changes in your mouth may help prevent or diagnose disease early.

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