Health problems your dentist will spot first

Nobody likes going to the dentist. The thought of injections, drills and fillings, not to mention the bill at the end, are things that make most of us put that check up off as long as we can, especially if we’re not getting any problems from our teeth.

However, there are many common health concerns – some trivial, some far more serious – that your dentist will be able to spot long before you experience any symptoms.

Oral hygiene warning flags

You may think that poor oral hygiene just leads to bad breath and cavities, but that gum bacteria could possibly enter the brain and cause inflammation, potentially leading to conditions like dementia. Make sure you brush at least twice a day, and attend regular check ups.

Loose tooth, or heart trouble?

That gum bacteria isn’t just responsible for potential memory problems; it can also affect your arteries and cause heart attacks and strokes. A study carried out in Sweden found that dental patients with multiple infection sites in their gums had up to a 53% increase in risk of a heart attack.

Bleeding gums?

Your dentist can also spot diabetes before you notice any other symptoms. If you frequently have sore or bleeding gums, or your teeth feel loose, this could indicate that minor mouth injuries are taking longer to heal, and that you could have diabetes. Diabetes can also cause a dry mouth, meaning you don’t have enough saliva to wash bacteria away effectively.

Modern life can get in the way of having the time to visit your dentist regularly, but with practices en route to many workplaces, and close to mainline stations, such as dentists on Liverpool Street in London, it’s easier to find the time to make an appointment and allow your dentist to put your mind at rest about your health, as well as your teeth.

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