7 Things Your Teeth Say About Your Health

Some messages coming out of your mouth bypass the vocal chords. Turns out that your teeth, gums, and surrounding tissues also have plenty to say — about your overall health.

“Your mouth is connected to the rest of your body,” says Anthony Iacopino, dean of the University of Manitoba Faculty of Dentistry and a spokesperson for the American Dental Association. “What we see in the mouth can have a significant effect on other organ systems and processes in the body. And the reverse is also true: Things that are going on systemically in the body can manifest in the mouth.”

So stay attuned to the following warning messages, and have worrisome symptoms checked out by a dentist or doctor.

Dental warning: Flat, worn teeth plus headache
Sign of: Big-time stress

Many people are surprised to learn they’re tooth-grinders. After all, they do this in their sleep, when they’re not aware of it. And they underestimate the physical toll that stress can place on the body. “Crunching and grinding the teeth at night during sleep is a common sign of emotional or psychological stress,” says Iacopino.
You can sometimes see the flatness on your own teeth, or feel it with the tongue. Or the jaw may ache from the clenching.

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What else to look for: Headaches, which are caused by spasms in the muscles doing the grinding. Sometimes the pain can radiate from the mouth and head down to the neck and upper back, Iacopino says. Mouth guards used at night can relieve the symptoms and protect teeth.

7 Things Your Teeth Say About Your Health originally appeared on Caring.com.

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Norma V.

6:11PM PDT on Oct 22, 2011

Interesting and helpful.

send a green star

Estelita A.

8:21PM PDT on Oct 20, 2011

THANKS.

Karen C.

3:01AM PDT on Oct 20, 2011

going to my dentist after reading this article

Judith C.

5:22PM PDT on Oct 19, 2011

Did not know that about denture wearers.Thank you.

Past Member .

11:54PM PDT on Oct 18, 2011

thank you

8:19PM PDT on Oct 18, 2011

Clenching the jaw can do just as must damage as grinding. I've cracked two teeth. Talk about a domino effect. I went from perfect teeth to worrying I'm going to ruin all of them.

Beverly G.

5:00PM PDT on Oct 18, 2011

OMG , thats me to a tee. Ive got all that with grinding, its called Bruxism, im 56 and my have eroded away, some cos of the above but also, clenchng and grinding, and having a dry mouth. A lot of people have a lot of saliva in their mouth (especially men) and we need this to eat food and the enzymes start there whilst eating to break the food down to go in the gullet. I dont have a lot of saliva , never have had, am a very highly, extreme anxious person, suffering from depression as well - another reason. Some of its heridtry with the teeth( and the depression too)I have to wear a bite guard at nite , its horrible and make your mouth even drier specially when u got a cold and sore throat , i dont use it then. But i get fed up with it and leave it off a lot now. Hence my jaws are hurting me at the mo bcos im very stressed out . I also have TMJ sysndrome connected with all of this and the jaw. Thak you for the info very informative.

Damien W.

1:37PM PDT on Oct 18, 2011

It is therefore necessary to keep them clean and healthy so that it later to not suffer with pain that causes a severe chronic tooth pain. It is terrible.

Damien Woody
FindRxOnline.net

Leah C.

12:10PM PDT on Oct 18, 2011

Phew, I'm safe!

Sue H.

7:28AM PDT on Oct 18, 2011

Ugh. Don't have any of these things thank goodness.