what can a dentist tell from your mouth

American Cancer Society. (Still, that shouldn't stop you from attending routine dental appointments.). Likewise, the presence of periodontal disease may make it more difficult for you to manage blood sugar levels, which further complicates your diabetic condition. Accessed Aug. 14, 2019. Yes, the teeth grinding will damage your teeth so you should schedule a consultation to have a night guard made so that it can protect your teeth. On your tongue or on your lips? Kenneth Wong, DDS, of Santa Monica adds, "When patients floss right before coming for a cleaning, I can see the slices where the floss cut at the gum because they were overzealous. During an oral cancer screening exam, your dentist looks over the inside of your mouth to check for red or white patches or mouth sores. https://www.cancer.gov/types/head-and-neck/hp/oral-screening-pdq. If you feel pressure or pain, it is probably your sinus. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Stirneman adds that most women are typically pretty far along before their gums start bleeding, so it's not as though a dentist will magically "discover" that a patient is pregnant. An increasing number of these cancers are associated with the sexually transmitted infection human papillomavirus (HPV). J Am Board Fam Med. Alcohol is one of the causes of dry mouth, reducing saliva production and increasing your chance of halitosis and tooth decay. And it's not just diseasesdentists can discover everything from your bad habits to your favorite beverages simply by asking you to say, "Ahh! You used to suck your thumb. It can be difficult to get a good view of the inside of your mouth in a wall mirror, so try using a small hand-held mirror to perform the self-examination preferably one that fits inside your mouth. Oral and cutaneous manifestations of viral and bacterial infections: Not only COVID-19 disease. It's not clear if these tests offer any additional benefit over the oral exam. Oral Implantol (Rome). Rven Smalls Widener is a former behavioral health professional with 3 years of experience educating and supporting patients dealing with chronic pain. For instance, if your regular doctor notices an irregular lump in your mouth or throat, they may refer you to one of our oral medicine / cancer specialists. Early detection is key to increasing the survival rate for these cancers. Researchers have yet to determine, for example, the best treatment to use and whether the treatment should ideally begin before women with gum disease get pregnant. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, with one out of every four deaths occurring because of it. Sally Cram, DDS, periodontist; spokeswoman, American Dental Association. doi:10.1542/peds.2017-1487. MORE:5 Surprising Ways You're Seriously Hurting Your Teeth, "A deficiency of vitamins and minerals can cause many oral conditions, like burning tongue syndrome, tissue sloughing off, increased infections, delayed healing, bone infections, and easy-to-bleed gums," explains John P. Dougherty, DDS, MAGD, of Artistic Dental at the Biltmore in Phoenix, AZ. Nearly 50,000 Americans will be diagnosed with head & neck cancer this year, causing nearly 10,000 deaths, making it the sixth most common cancer in the world. It will manifest as either bruxism or teeth clenching. Because cavities come in a number of different colors from yellow to black, these should be easy to spot just from looking at pictures of your teeth. To prevent damage to your teeth and keep them apart so your jaw muscles can relax, your dentist can fit you with a custom mouth guard to wear while you sleep. Adenoviruseswhich are responsible for pharyngitis (sore throat) and tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils)and cytomegalovirus (CMV) have been some of the germs noted to cause palatal petechiae. Feeling as if something is caught in your throat when swallowing. But your dentist is also your first line of defense . 1998-2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Difficulty moving the tongue and jaw due to stiffness. Also, the appearance of palatal petechiae may not raise any concerns for dentists or other healthcare providers. Oral health conditions. This one is super interesting because some patients come in with face numbness! For these situations, we would refer you to your primary care physician for genetic testing. Drago F, Ciccarese G, Merlo G, et al. It can appear on your lips, gums, tongue, cheek lining, or in other parts of your mouth. However, symptoms of mild infection may include: CMV infections can be more severe for individuals with weaker immune systems and for babies born with the virus, leading to serious symptoms or problems. Mortality from oral cancer is nearly twice as high in some minorities (especially black males) as it is in whites. The dentist may also examine your throat and neck for lumps. Why? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No single oral exam or oral cancer screening test is proved to reduce the risk of dying of oral cancer. For instance, Endocarditis, an infection of the inner lining of your heart, typically occurs when bacteria or other germs from another part of your body, such as your mouth, spread through your bloodstream and attach to damaged areas in your heart. Autoimmune diseases:diseases such as Sjogrens syndrome can cause dry mouth, increasing the risk of cavities. "This is caused by increased progesterone, which facilitates the growth of bacteria, causing gingivitis. This content does not have an English version. But no studies have proved that oral cancer screening saves lives, so not all organizations agree about the benefits of an oral exam for oral cancer screening. Oral exams for oral cancer screening have some limitations, such as: Oral cancer screening could lead to additional tests. 2. Additionally, Wolff said that dentists see palatal petechiae "periodically," although it's not overly common. We can also share recommendations for good nutrition and oral hygiene, and provide counseling on special oral health care needs, such as tobacco cessation. While there are many symptoms a woman might exhibit if she's expecting, apparently, there's also a telltale sign in her mouth that a dentist can easily spot. Acids do the most damage when you are very thirsty or have a dry mouth. You may know why you chipped your tooth, but Hugh Flax, DDS, of Flax Dental in Atlanta says that even though the cause may be apparent, "there could be underlying factors that weakened the tooth and made it susceptible to being chipped in the first place." Inspecting Your Mouth For Signs of Mouth Cancer, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f2\/Tell-if-You-Have-Mouth-Cancer-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Tell-if-You-Have-Mouth-Cancer-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f2\/Tell-if-You-Have-Mouth-Cancer-Step-1.jpg\/aid4763770-v4-728px-Tell-if-You-Have-Mouth-Cancer-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"