Dental Diagnosis

July 26, 2007 (WLS) -- Your mouth may hold the key to diagnosing a whole host of ailments you may not even know you have and your dentist may be the one to identify the problems.

If you think a dental checkup is just to have teeth cleaned or checked for cavities, think again. A dentist can diagnose and possibly help cure a long list of medical problems.

Open wide in the dental chair these days and a routine exam may turn up more than you expect. Leeda Allen thought she was perfectly healthy. But her dentist discovered unusual holes in her teeth and figured out Leeda had acid reflux before she even knew there was a problem.

"I was shocked. I wouldn't have thought my stomach would have had such an effect," Allen said.

Sharon Schumann also has her dentist to thank. He confirmed a potentially deadly disease lurking in her mouth.

"I never expected to have cancer of the tongue in my life," said Schumann.

Sharon's tumor was successfully removed and she has been cancer free for three years. At the UIC Department of Oral Medicine dentists in training are now being taught that a good checkup starts outside the mouth, with a thorough exam of the head and neck. What they're looking for are unusual growths or problems, such as swelling of the nymph nodes.

Inside the mouth, the tongue, cheeks and gums reveal more than patients realize.

"Changes in the mouth can often be the first sign of changes occurring at other body sites," said Joel Epstein, DMD, oral medicine, UIC Medical Center.

Tooth erosion and a burning or sour taste are symptoms of reflux disease. Type-2 diabetes often results in bright red, bleeding gums and bad breath. An ammonia smell in the mouth is a sign of kidney disease. Accelerated tooth loss can indicate a problem with bones, such as osteoporosis. And white spots in gums could be a symptom of oral cancer.

"Oral cancer is probably the No. 1 thing we find on patients. It's the No. 1 thing we find," said Joseph Kravitz, DDS, prosthodontist, Washington Center for Image Dentistry.

Inflamed gums, excess cavities and oral infections can be a sign of heart disease Studies are even linking periodontal disease to hardened arteries. Researchers believe the presence of the bacteria that causes dental plaque build-up can have a negative effect on your cardiovascular health. Some dentists may even recommend you see a cardiologist if they notice you have serious gum disease.

"Rather than competition, I think we are seen as support and an important part, I hope, of the whole medical team that really covers the person from head to toe," said Epstein.

Fiery red gums and wounds that won't heal are a sign of leukemia. And tooth erosion can indicate bulimia. It could be sleep apnea if a patient's tongue blocks their airway when they're tipped back in the chair. And a woman might be pregnant if blowing air on gums makes them bleed.

"And really the key in making those kinds of diagnosis is to know when something isn't normal," said Epstein.

They are some compelling reasons the 40 percent of patients who don't get regular check ups should.

On the flip side, unhealthy teeth can lead to disease in other parts of the body. So keeping up on oral health also brings benefits beyond the mouth. Dentists recommend you get checkups not just once but actually twice a year.

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