Oral Health Issues Men Shouldn't Ignore - Monarch Dental & Orthodontics

Oral Health Issues Men Shouldn’t Ignore

Tuesday - September 20th, 2016

In honor of Men’s Health Month this June, we want to help the gentlemen learn about early detection and treatment of preventable health issues.

Since oral health can be an indicator of overall health, here are some oral health issues men should not ignore, because they could be clues about larger issues.

Dry mouth: Having a chronically dry mouth can lead to several oral health issues, such as cavities and tooth decay. Furthermore, it could potentially be a sign of a larger medical problem, such as diabetes, anemia, hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, or mumps. Certain medications can also cause dry mouth.

Enamel erosion: Highly acidic foods and beverages can cause enamel erosion. But another cause is acid reflux disease, which can erode the enamel on your bottom teeth, making them more susceptible to cavities. Acid reflux can also lead to more serious health problems, such as respiratory issues and esophageal cancer.

Discolored gums: If your gums or other soft tissues in your mouth start to look whiter or redder than normal, this could be an indicator of several health issues, such as oral cancer, gum disease, or a fungal infection such as thrush.

Jaw pain: If you have pain, swelling, or inflammation around the jaw joint area, it could be a sign of temporomandibular joint dysfunction (also known as TMJ) or rheumatoid arthritis (also known as RA).

If you’ve noticed any of these signs or symptoms, make an appointment with your dentist to discuss your health.

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Orthodontics may be provided by general dentists.
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