You shouldn’t underestimate the extent to which symptoms of various health conditions can trickle through to your mouth. WebMD reports that almost 9 in 10 diseases can produce oral symptoms, making your mouth an ideal place for you or your dentist to spot emerging issues by regular dental health checkups.
You don’t have to enlist your dentist’s help straight away, though – as you can pick up on telling signs when brushing your teeth or during other parts of your everyday life. These signs can include…
1) Sharp tooth pain
If you feel slight discomfort in your mouth from time to time, the cause would likely be a piece of food getting caught between teeth. However, if your teeth are abruptly painful as you chomp down, you should see your dentist without delay, says Shape.
Dental decay or a cavity could be causing that pain – but, if it’s throbbing or aching, wait three days to see if it fades. If it doesn’t, that’s when you should book an appointment with your dentist.
2) Food is repeatedly lodged between your teeth
Yes, this can still be a reason for worry in itself, even if you can just regularly fish out that troublesome piece of popcorn or nut. In this instance, there could still be a cavity, albeit a growing one concealed between teeth, therefore preventing you from seeing it easily in the mirror.
If you think a hidden cavity could indeed be to blame, bring the subject up with your dentist, recommends Insider. The dental professional will be able to check between your teeth.
3) Bleeding gums
Unlike what is casually believed in some quarters, seeing blood in the toothpaste you spit out is not normal. Assuming that you are brushing lightly with a toothbrush, your gums will bleed only if they are inflamed. It’s possible that gum disease is emerging in that mouth.
Therefore, you should visit your dentist as early as possible, especially if your gums are painful, too. The bacteria causing the bleeding can create problems elsewhere in the body.
4) Permanently stained teeth
If the stains are yellow or brownish, they might have simply been left over from consumption of coffee, tea, soda or red wine. Therefore, brushing your teeth with the right whitening toothpaste can get rid of that staining. However, what if it’s darker and doesn’t fade so easily?
A cavity could be the culprit for dark black or brown spots on a tooth. If red or blue hues have appeared suddenly, the tooth might have cracked to the pulp and so need removing.
5) Cracking or crumbling teeth
The root cause of this could be stress, as this can lead to teeth grinding. This is where stress makes your jaw muscles tense up, meaning that you end up clenching your jaw closed at night. Therefore, whatever worries you have, try to dissipate them before bed by engaging in relaxation exercises.
As for the existing damage, a local dental practice – say, a team of dentists in Balham, if you live in London – can repair it for you.