What Your Mouth Could be Saying about Your Health Mill Creek Dental Check-Ups from Dr. Brian Rutherford

Dental check-ups aren’t just good for your teeth, they are good for your whole body. To see what we mean, take a minute in front of a mirror and look at your mouth. Look at your tongue. The color, texture or sores can indicate a variety of problems from iron deficiencies to oral cancer. Then check out your gums. The same sorts of things that show up on your tongue can show up on your gums. Color changes, puffiness and bleeding, for example, can indicate anything from gum disease or gum overgrowth from medications to the first quiet signs of Diabetes.
If your teeth have begun to wear down, change color or crack, it could indicate anything from stress to gastric reflux to nutritional deficiencies. While checking out your own mouth is a good idea, remember that your doctor and dentists are trained to interpret even the smallest changes and have technology that lets them see your mouth more clearly and with more detail. Some of the earliest signs of cancer, immune disorders, pregnancy, hormone imbalances and drug issues show up in your teeth, tongue and gums, often long before you realize that there is anything wrong. To find out more about how your mouth is a mirror to your health, call me Dr. Brian Rutherford in Mill Creek.