Travel & Lifestyle: What Dentists Can Tell About You Just By Looking In Your Mouth

When you go to the dentist, you’re likely focused on matters like cavities and gum health. But dental experts can detect a lot more from your exam.

“A lot about someone’s overall health can be observed just by looking in their mouth,” Dr. Kami Hoss, a dentist and author of “If Your Mouth Could Talk,” told HuffPost. “In fact, over 100 systemic conditions and many medications can have oral manifestations. This means that what happens in the mouth can often be a window into broader health issues, helping to identify problems before they escalate.”

Because the mouth is considered the “gateway” to the body, it can also be the origin of problems in many different bodily systems.

The mouth’s microbes “can enter the bloodstream through bleeding gums or open root canals and travel to other parts of the body, causing infections or inflammation,” Hoss noted.

That’s why routine dental checkups are so important.

“A comprehensive oral examination can provide valuable insights into a person’s overall health and lifestyle habits, helping dental professionals identify potential issues and provide appropriate care and recommendations,” said cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael J. Wei.

So what exactly can a dentist infer about you from the state of your mouth? We asked some professionals to share what they’ve seen.

“Unfortunately, dentists can’t be fooled into thinking you floss regularly if you floss just right before your visit,” said Dr. Erin Fraundorf, an orthodontist and founder of BOCA Orthodontic + Whitening Studio. “Gum tissue that is not flossed regularly looks red, inflamed and may bleed.”

She noted that healthy gums are pink and smooth with a “knife-edge” instead of puffy.

“As soon as your dentist sees your mouth and the color and texture of your gums, they can tell you have gum disease,” Fraundorf said.

“Erosion and decay on teeth can reveal a lot about someone’s diet, with high consumption of sugary foods and beverages typically leading to cavities, while acidic foods and drinks, like citrus and soda, can cause enamel erosion,” said cosmetic dentist Dr. Kevin Sands.

Highly acidic and sugary foods and drinks can also contribute to gum disease.

“If you are a big tea or coffee drinker, you will more likely have dark stains,” Fraundorf added.

People with diabetes often have inflamed gums.

“Imbalances in sugar may also result in a rapid change in the health of your gums, showing up as increased swelling, bleeding and sensitivity,” Fraundorf said. “Diabetic patients have a higher prevalence of gum disease.”

Additionally, “fruity” breath can be a sign of uncontrolled diabetes, so patients should seek medical attention if they experience this phenomenon.

“Without glancing at your nails, a dentist may be able to detect if you bite your nails ― or bite on other items, like pen caps or bottle caps,” Fraundorf said, noting that the stress on your teeth can cause chipping and other wear and tear.

Dentists can also tell if you suck your thumb or did a lot in the past (beyond early childhood).

“Thumb-sucking may significantly alter not only a patient’s teeth but their jaws,” Fraundorf explained. “These signs include protruding upper front teeth with spacing, tucked back lower front teeth with crowding, a narrow upper jaw and an anterior open bite ― a lack of vertical overlap between the upper and lower front teeth.”

Similarly, tongue thrust can result in an anterior open bite, but generally both the upper and lower teeth will have protrusion and spacing, she added.

“Deficiencies in essential nutrients can impact the health of the teeth and gums,” Wei said.

Dry mouth, sores and bleeding gums are common manifestations, as well as changes in the tongue.

“Being deficient in vitamins and minerals may result in many oral conditions, like increased infections, burning tongue syndrome, sore tongue, cracked lips, tissue sloughing, delayed healing, bone infections, and gums that bleed easily,” Fraundorf said. “When patients are deficient in iron, their gum tissues can lose some of the red hues and turn pale pink or even white. Light pink, pale gums can be a sign of anemia.”

“It’s pretty wild, but we can often tell if you’re left- or right-handed ― or at least we can tell if you brush with your right or left hand,” Fraundorf said.

Right-handed patients typically don’t brush their upper right teeth as well as they do their left side. The reverse is true for lefties.

“This leaves the gums slightly more puffy and red in addition to more plaque retention on these teeth,” Fraundorf explained.

Dentists can also see the effects of disordered eating in their patients.

“Patients with eating disorders, specifically bulimia, will typically show enamel erosion or breakdown of enamel,” Fraundorf said. “Specifically, we see erosion almost exclusively on the tongue side of your teeth from the stomach acid that comes up into the oral cavity.”

Instead of disordered eating, this kind of erosion might also indicate a GI problem.

“Persistent bad breath might indicate gastrointestinal issues such as GERD, where stomach acid damages teeth and soft tissues,” Hoss said. “The mouth can also reveal early signs of certain gastrointestinal diseases. Crohn’s disease can cause swelling of the gums and mouth ulcers before any intestinal symptoms appear. Oral manifestations like these can be critical for early diagnosis and treatment of serious conditions.”

“The mouth can also reveal early signs of certain cancers,” Hoss said. “For instance, signs of leukemia may present as gum overgrowth and bleeding. Oral manifestations like these can be critical for early diagnosis and treatment of serious conditions.”

Oral cancer can also manifest in the mouth with visible oral lesions or growths.

“Signs of oral cancer include unexplained bleeding in the mouth, patches (red, white or spotted), changes in your bite, or areas in the mouth that are eroded, lumpy or swollen,” Fraundorf said. “The patient should then visit an oral surgeon for a consultation and biopsy of any suspicious tissue.”

“Some women may develop a deep red lump on their gums called a pregnancy tumor or pyogenic granuloma ― a totally benign tumor that will resolve once pregnancy is over,” Fraundorf said.

She noted that pregnancy also commonly leads to the development of gingivitis due to increased progesterone, which facilitates the growth of bacteria.

“Dentists are the first line of defense in detecting system diseases and nutrition deficiencies because some of these diseases and deficiencies have oral manifestations,” said Dr. Jarrett L. Manning, founder of JLM Dental Studio. “This means the disease process may present as abnormal mouth lesions that dentists are trained to detect.”

While dentists check for gum health, tooth conditions and overall mouth hygiene, Manning emphasized that any dental checkups are also important because “any lesion, sore, or patch in the mouth can tell another story and give us insight to a deeper issue.”

The list of potential deeper issues includes various autoimmune diseases and other inflammatory conditions.

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“Red spots and sores may be signs of lupus and Crohn’s disease, and white spots in the mouth may be linked to lichen planus,” Fraundorf said. “These spots may be tender or painful and may lead to mouth ulcers.”

“Bad ‘fishy’ breath and chronic dry mouth may be signs of kidney problems,” Fraundorf said.

She noted that fishy breath may also indicate liver failure. Your dental appointment might also lead to the discovery of bone issues.

“A dental examination with X-rays can reveal bone loss and may lead to an early diagnosis of osteoporosis ― a disease of the bones which results in bone loss and an increase in brittleness,” Fraundorf said.

“Clenching or grinding of teeth, also known as bruxism, can be a sign of stress or anxiety, which can have detrimental effects on oral health,” Fraundorf said.

Dentists can spot this sort of excess wear on the biting surfaces of teeth.

“Teeth grinding and redness of gum tissue and the throat may also be signs of sleep apnea ― a serious condition which limits the amount of oxygen a person gets during sleep,” Fraundorf added.

“You can see if someone has HIV by identifying specific lesions called Kaposi’s sarcoma that are common in uncontrolled HIV cases and have a distinct visual appearance,” said Dr. Ilona Casellini, founder of Swiss Quality Smile.

People with HIV may also experience chronic dry mouth, canker sores and hairy leukoplakia, which presents as white patches on the tongue.

“Oral yeast infections can be a symptom of HIV in young patients who seem to otherwise present as healthy,” Fraundorf noted.

“Lifestyle choices leave distinct signs in the mouth too,” Sands said. “Smoking or using tobacco products can cause stained teeth, gum disease, and a higher risk of oral cancers.”

Drug use can also have a noticeable impact on the teeth and other parts of the mouth.

“Alcoholics often have inflamed gums and breath that smells of alcohol,” Casellini noted.

Alcohol tends to dry out the mouth, making people with drinking issues more susceptible to cavities.

“The presence of plaque, tartar, and gum inflammation often indicates a person’s oral hygiene routine, suggesting inconsistent or insufficient oral care if these issues are present,” Sands said.

He emphasized that maintaining oral health is crucial not just for a beautiful smile but also for overall well-being. Awareness and proactive care can significantly impact someone’s quality of life.

Examining the mouth might also reveal signs of mental impairment or decline, particularly for older patients.

“Patients with cognitive disorders such as dementia or Alzheimer’s often exhibit poor oral hygiene,” Casellini noted. “They might forget to brush or have lost manual dexterity.”