What Your Mouth Is Telling You About Your Health

Your mouth could be telling you a lot more than you think. There’s been a lot of research surrounding what your oral state can tell you about your overall health. Your twice yearly dental visits just got a lot more important, so make sure you take them to get on top of the warning signs.

Sensitivity
If you experience the sensation of tingling when you drink particular foods or drinks, it could be a little bit more than just a sensation. This can be felt when food is either extremely hot or very cold, and can actually be quite painful. These could all be pointers towards a cavity, which if left untreated can damage nerve tissue.

Bad Breath
Garlic bread or stinky cheese isn’t the only reason that you may be experiencing bad breath. If it sticks around past brushing your teeth and you notice it for a longer period of time, there may be more at play. In the development stages of gum disease, it is common for people to experience bad breath and in serious cases this is characterised as halitosis. If your bad breath dissipates after brushing, and you keep to your regular check-ups and oral care routine, then there probably isn’t anything to worry about. However, if you are noticing the bad breath stick around then it may be time to take action.

Stains
Although they are not too dangerous, it can make it difficult to smile when you are aware of the brownish marks that are on your teeth. This is a build-up of bacteria which can be removed generally through a professional dental clean. These can also be an early indicator of gum disease, so make sure if you notice stains that you do see your dentist!

Tongue Trouble
You tongue can often look rather bumpy, with different levels being shown all over its surface. This is indication of a healthy tongue but there are a number of ways that your tongue could be telling you something else. If it looks flat, and ‘bald’, you may have a vitamin B deficiency. If it looks cloudy, or white, you could have inflammation or a yeast infection usually caused by heavy antibiotics. If the tongue looks black or brown, it could be caused by drinking coffee, teas, smoking or poor dental hygiene.

Sores
These are known as cankers, and can be extremely uncomfortable for the individual. However, they usually disappear within 2 weeks. However, if you spot a raised, whitish sore in or around your mouth that lasts longer than 3 weeks, you must consult your dentist as it could be an indicator to Oral HPV, which can lead to oral cancer.

Stay on top of your health by going to your dentist regularly for check-ups.