9 Little-Known Things EK Dental Surgery
Looks for During Routine Dental Examinations

Of course, your regular dental checkup is part of optimal dental health, but it is also a crucial part of your general health.

Why? Because research discovers that nearly 90 per cent of general diseases show some symptoms in the mouth, and sometimes these symptoms become evident in the mouth even before they are visible to you or cause any pain.

And these symptoms can be discoverable by your Glen Waverley dentist. If they are detected early, their underlying diseases can often be treated better, more effectively, and more economically.

The range of things your dentist looks for is wide.

1. Heart issues. Research has discovered a number of links between your symptoms in your mouth and the condition of your heart. And this means that damaged gums or loose teeth can be warnings of heart disease.This is because if you have gum disease, bacteria in your gums can travel to your heart and contribute to coronary artery disease. One study in Sweden found discovered people with more infected pockets in the gums around the base of the tooth had a 53 per cent heightened risk of heart trouble.If your dentist finds damaged gums or loose teeth, it may mean you need a checkup of your circulatory system as well!
2. Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a difficult to detect bone disease. It weakens your bones, but has few outward symptoms; most people are unaware they have it until they take a bone density test or suffer a fracture.Luckily, bi-annual checkups may be just the ticket to tip you off before any damage is done. While osteoporosis doesn’t directly affect teeth, it does cause harmful changes to the bone supporting them.This may manifest in a receding gum line and loose teeth. Bone loss in the mouth usually indicates the likelihood of bone loss elsewhere in the body.
3. Rapid decay of the bones and gums that support the teeth, lesions that don’t heal, loose teeth, swelling, inflammation, and dry mouth can indicate issues with blood sugar.In fact, people with diabetes often have these symptoms. On the other hand, untreated oral infections can make it harder to control blood sugar.
4. Eating disorder. Bulimia leaves a very distinct pattern of tooth wear that dentists can quickly identify.Commonly this erosion occurs on the tongue-side of the front teeth and can contribute to increased cavities. In fact, tooth erosion is often a symptom of problems that are not directly related to oral hygiene and care.
5. Stress surrounds us in this modern world, and excessive stress affects oral health. Stress can lead to tooth wear and chipping as many stressed people grind and clench their teeth, most often while sleeping.This means your dentist may be the first to notice you suffer from such stress. If you do suffer from tooth-grinding due to stress, your EK Dental Surgery dentist can help you with a customised night tooth guard as well as general strategies to lower stress levels.
6. Premature births and low-weight births. Studies show a correlation between pregnant women with serious gum disease and premature or low birth weight babies.The bacteria in the mouth of a pregnant woman with gum disease can trigger an increase in prostaglandin and other harmful inflammatory molecules that can induce early labour and impair fetal growth.This means, if you are pregnant and have serious gum disease, your dentist can identify your increased chance of premature or low-weight birth. This can be battled both dentally (reducing the gum disease) and by referral to your doctor.
7. If the mouth lining is extremely pale—a very light pink—one possible cause is anemia, a condition in which enough red blood cells aren’t circulating through the body.Another dental symptom associated with anemia is a tongue that has lost its healthy, bumpy texture and become smooth to the eye. If your dentist sees these symptoms, it may mean a trip for a blood test.
8. Bad breath. Bad breath can be a sign of dental problems including gum disease, ill-fitting dental appliances, an infection in the mouth, or cavities.But it can also be a symptom of much more. Bad breath can be associated with sinus infections, respiratory infections, liver or kidney problems, and more.
9. Crohn’s Disease. This inflammatory bowel disease causes up to 20 per cent of patients with it to develop lesions in their mouth that may become evident before any digestive symptoms.

Reasons To Smile At EK Dental Surgery!

EK Dental Surgery offers a wide variety of preventative and cosmetic dental procedures for children, seniors, and everyone in between! We are a team of dedicated dentists and staff working to provide the best care possible. At EK Dental we can help you achieve tip-top dental health and a movie-star smile!

EK Dental Surgery is conveniently located on Springvale Road in Glen Waverley.

Our Promotion Include

• Pay No Gap for Exam, Scale and Clean, and Fluoride Treatment for Medibank, Bupa and HCF. * For new patients only
• Same day dental emergency appointment available

Call us on (03) 9887 8787 or visit us at 230 Springvale Road in Glen Waverley.