4 Non-Teeth Questions Worth Taking To A General Dentist
Posted on: 15 April 2022
People often think of a general dentist as a tooth doctor. That is certainly one part of the job, but they also can address a host of other concerns that often connect with oral care. If you have any of the following four issues, you may want to make an appointment with a dentist so you can ask about them.
Bad Breath
Bad tastes or smells in the mouth are almost never signs of anything good or even neutral. The range of potential causes is large, and some are very worrisome. Gum disease can cause bad breath, and so can oral cancer. Even seemingly minor problems, such as a piece of food lodged between two teeth, should be addressed before they can become bigger trouble.
Jaw Pain
How your mouth moves is as important an oral medical issue as dealing with your teeth. If you're not chewing well, it can cause problems with the jaw. Intriguingly, these problems may manifest in odd ways. For example, a patient may develop tinnitus or even tension headaches.
Digestive Issues
People often assume stomach or intestinal problems are due to gut illnesses. That is one possibility, but dental problems can also cause digestive problems. Someone who has misaligned teeth, for example, may not be able to properly chew their food. The issue may seem small, but it can challenge your digestive tract if the food isn't chewed well enough.
Folks who have dentures should also be sensitive to digestive concerns and take them to their dentist. Frequently, the problem appears when dental appliances become misaligned due to age, wear and tear, or changing conditions in the patient's mouth.
Younger patients also may have digestive concerns that are fundamentally dental in nature. If you have a kid who is a picky eater, for example, you may want to schedule a dental exam. Even if the dentist doesn't find any problems, you can at least rule out one possibility before speaking with other doctors.
Trouble Breathing or Sleeping
A lot of breathing issues start with oral posture problems. This is especially the case when people have breathing issues that interrupt their sleep. In many instances, a dentist can provide an appliance that adjusts the patient's mouth and improves their breathing.
Notably, a general dentist may have to send you to a specialist for a consultation. However, the first step is to take the question up with your regular dentist.
For more information, contact a dentist's office like Rabel Family Dentistry.
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