You might be surprised, but plaque build-up and cavities aren’t the only things your dentist looks for in your mouth. Your mouth is like the window to your whole body, and the dentist can tell things like your habits, nutrition, health, diseases, and more. Read on to discover 10 things your dentist knows about you.
1. You have a sensitive stomach, kidney failure, reflux, or even bronchitis.
Acid wear that comes from the inside of your body differs from the act wear that comes from the outside. Surfaces on the inside of the teeth will be affected more and the front of the teeth could be barely affected at all.
2. You drink soda.
Soda is extremely acidic and bathes your teeth in acid that weakens the enamel. This causes erosion and a lot of times, big areas of decay on your teeth.
3. You snore.
A well-trained dentist will see that you have a retruded jaw, reddened uvula or throat, tongue that appears too large for your mouth, and/or narrow dental arches, all of which can be signs of snoring.
4. You bite your fingernails.
Nail biters will often have imbalances in the jaw and muscles of the face and wear on the tips of their teeth.
5. You flossed just before your appointment, and don’t at any other time.
Sore, bleeding, or red gums are a sure sign that the plaque has been there for long enough to cause an inflammatory response.
6. You have diabetes.
Loose teeth, lesions that won’t heal, dry mouth, swelling, and rapid deterioration of the bones and gums that support your teeth are all signs of problems with blood sugar.
7. You have a vitamin deficiency.
The mouth is often the first place that vitamin deficiencies will appear.
8. You sucked your thumb.
Pacifier use and thumb sucking can change the way a person’s mouth develops.
9. You have oral cancer.
Every time you visit your dental team, they should look for signs of oral cancer. Anything that doesn’t heal within two weeks should be biopsied.
10. You grind your teeth.
Broken/chipped/fractured teeth and over-developed chewing muscles are all signs of brux-ism, also known as grinding. Over time, this can lead to sore muscles, headaches, tooth loss, and a collapsed bite. An appliance that stops you from grinding at night can save you from a lot of problems and costly dental work down the road.
