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Last updated 10:08 am CT February 09, 2010.

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Dental Health

TO YOUR HEALTH- If you think dentists can only check for cavities, think again. A dentist can also diagnose and possibly help cure a long list of medical problems.
Dentist say holes in teeth can indicate problems like acid reflux. Turns out, dentists can do a lot more than check your teeth. Dr. Joseph Kravitz, a prosthodontist from the Washington Center for Image Dentistry Bethesda says being a dentist is about more than cleaning. It's about detecting all oral health problems.
Tooth erosion and a burning or sour taste are symptoms of reflux disease. Type-two diabetes often results in bright red, bleeding gums and bad breath. An amonia smell in the mouth is a sign of kidney disease. Accelerated tooth loss can be a sign of osteoporosis, while white spots in gums is a symptom of oral cancer.
Dr. Kravitz says oral cancer is the number one thing he finds on patients in his care.
Inflamed gums, excess cavities and oral infections can be a sign of heart disease. Fiery red gums and wounds that won't heal are a sign of leukemia, and tooth erosion can indicate bulimia. It could be sleep apnea if a patient's tongue blocks their airway when they're tipped back in the chair. and a woman might be pregnant if blowing air on gums makes them bleed. Kravitz says many times women don't even know their pregnant until they come to the dentist.
Studies have linked periodontal disease to hardened arteries. Researchers believe the presence of the bacteria that causes dental plaque buildup can have a negative effect on cardiovascular health.
Dentists recommend checkups twice a year. Pregnant women should go four times a year because they are more susceptible to disease. Doctor Kravitz's own wife lost two teeth while pregnant.

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