Call (760) 707-3038 to speak with a licensed insurance agent.

Call (760) 707-3038 to speak with a licensed insurance agent.

What Your Teeth Can Tell You About Your Health

Posted by Mary Krebs, August 17, 2022

We all want a bright, healthy smile for cosmetic reasons. And of course, no one enjoys having cavities filled or root canals performed. So, you understand the importance of taking care of your dental health and visiting your dentist regularly. But did you also know that your teeth can tell you a lot about your health overall?

Damaged enamel is a sign of acid reflux. If your dentist notices damaged enamel on your teeth, chances are good that you’re also suffering from acid reflux. The condition can develop gradually as we age, and can start off feeling like mild, occasional heartburn. But over time, your stomach acid can do major damage to your teeth.

Tooth loss can be a sign of osteoporosis. If you begin to lose teeth, you would be right to suspect something wrong with your dental health (such as gum disease). But osteoporosis can be another culprit. The disease causes weakening of the bones, and you might become aware of it through lost teeth or significant injuries (such as fractures) from minor accidents.

Osteoporosis is more common in women, due to hormonal changes which contribute to weaker bones, but men can get it too. If you begin to lose teeth, a screening for osteoporosis is in order.

Dry mouth, changes in taste, and tooth loss can be a sign of kidney disease. Your kidneys are responsible for filtering waste out of the blood, but they might not function well if you have a compromised immune system or chronic inflammation. All of these problems are also linked to gum disease, which can cause loose teeth. If you suffer any of the above dental symptoms, you should have your kidneys checked as well.

Poor dental hygiene might be a sign of cognitive decline. When an older person suddenly exhibits dental problems despite a healthy history, cognitive decline can be the culprit. This might be a sign that they are not able to properly care for themselves anymore and require assistance either in the home or in a nursing facility.

Teeth grinding can indicate sleep apnea. If your dentist observes signs that you’ve been grinding your teeth in your sleep, you should be checked for sleep apnea. This condition can cause you to stop breathing in your sleep, but is also linked to high blood pressure, diabetes, dementia, and liver problems.

Regular dental checkups are important to maintaining your oral health but can also offer insight into your medical condition. Make sure to see your dentist twice per year for regular checkups and follow up with your primary physician when warranted.

Need more information?

Contact us online to learn more

Contact Us

Close Accessibility Tools
Accessibility Controls Reset
Content Adjustments
Font Size

Default

Line Height

Default

Content Scaling

Default

Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Highlight Forms
Align Left
Align Center
Align Right
Focus Mode
Color Adjustments
Desaturate
Monochrome
Contrast

Default

Saturation

Default

Accessibility Statement

Despite our attempts to make this website accessible for everyone, there may still be some pages or sections that are not completely accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or do not have a suitable technological solution to make them accessible. Nevertheless, we are always striving to enhance our accessibility by adding, updating, improving its options and features, and incorporating new technologies.

We want to provide our users with the best experience possible, so we strive to support as many browsers and assistive technologies as possible.

If you wish to contact this website's owner, please use the contact form on the website.

Our User Interface Adjustment Options

Font adjustments - With this tool, users can modify font size, style, letter spacing, and line height for improved alignment and readability.

Color adjustments - Users can customize their color contrast profiles to light, dark, desaturated, and monochrome.

Content highlighting - Users can prioritize key elements such as links, forms, and titles.

Content focus - Users can enable focus mode to highlight the current page information based on their mouse movement.

Close