Strong white teeth and an attractive smile are real assets: they enhance our confidence and our self-esteem. This is a key motivation for regular dental check-ups. There are, however, many other equally valid reasons for frequently having a dentist examine your teeth. For example,a host of wider health problems are known to manifest in the mouth, making a visit to a dental professional indispensable in the early detection of diseases. In this piece we discuss three conditions which can be identified with the help of a dentist.

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Mouth Cancer

The National Health Service (NHS) states that mouth cancer (oral cancer) is a serious illness in which a tumour develops on the tongue, mouth, lips, gums, salivary glands, tonsils or pharynx. The early symptoms (such as ulcers, red or white patches or unexplained lumps) are not always especially noticeable, meaning that it is vital to have regular dental check-ups with a professional who is trained to detect the condition.

Osteoporosis

This is a condition where bone density is reduced and the bones consequently weakened. It most commonly affects women over the age of fifty but can be found in people of any age or either gender. Its presence is rarely diagnosed until the point at which a bone has been weakened to such an extent that a fracture has occurred.

Experts such as those at http://www.uksmile.com/, orthodontists in London, can spot symptoms of this debilitating disease such as loss of teeth or bone loss in the jaw and enable patients to seek the appropriate medical treatment.

Diabetes

Diabetes.co.uk, a non-partisan resource for education about the disease, explains that in untreated diabetes elevated blood glucose levels result in higher than average levels of glucose in the saliva. This produces “a fertile breeding ground” for bacteria, which, in turn, increases the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.

The media recently carried a story about an man who had not visited a dental surgery for some years. During his eventual examination, the dentist noticed that the patient had inflamed and bleeding gums and advised him to see his doctor, since this can be symptomatic of diabetes. Following tests, the man was found to have Type 2 diabetes, which, if not treated, can lead to blindness, organ damage, limb amputation, heart disease and stroke.