What your teeth say about your health

Discolouration causes

Having white, clean-looking teeth can do wonders for our confidence. If your teeth are yellowed or stained, you may feel a bit self-conscious. Although discoloured teeth aren't unsightly, it's a cosmetic issue rather than an indication of poor overall health.

Anna Middleton, Dental Hygienist of London Hygienist, explains that the likely cause of yellowing teeth is ageing or staining from food and drink.

"Although not physically pleasing, this does not indicate any other issues with the body," she says.

We've all missed the odd brushing or drunk too much coffee on occasion. Most of us will have felt the need to pop in a mint before a meeting to freshen our breath. But could having bad breath be a sign of something more?

"Bad breath is usually caused by poor oral hygiene, and comes from plaque and food debris stuck between your teeth," says Middleton. "It could also indicate you're a little dehydrated. Other causes of bad breath include low-carb diets, snoring, or even alcohol consumption."

She says, however, that if you get bad breath regularly, it might be a sign of diabetes. It's worth speaking with your dentist or doctor if you're worried about this symptom. Diabetes can increase the glucose levels in your mouth - promoting bacterial overgrowth, which could lead to bad breath.

But gum disease can also lead to more serious conditions in the rest of your body.

Middleton explains there are lots of links between gum disease and systemic health - the main ones being heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease.

"This is all due to the ability of bacteria in the mouth to transport into the bloodstream," she says.

In addition, some medicines, including phenytoin - an epilepsy treatment - and calcium-channel blockers - usually used to treat high blood pressure - can cause overgrowth of your gums. It's important not to stop medicine without medical advice, but do speak with your pharmacist or doctor if you're concerned.

Having a mouth ulcer can be very uncomfortable, but most of us develop one from time to time. However, if you get ulcers regularly, or they take a long time to heal, they could be a sign that something else is going on behind the scenes.

Middleton says that mouth ulcers can be caused by nutritional deficiency, particularly a lack of vitamin B12 or iron. They could also be due to stress, hormonal changes, certain medicines, or even coeliac disease which can lead to deficiency of vitamins and minerals.

"If you have a mouth ulcer that doesn't clear up after a few weeks, it's time to talk to your doctor," she advises. "Ulcers that don't heal after three weeks should be referred on, as they could potentially be cancerous."

If you're concerned about tooth erosion or the loss of enamel, it's worth discovering the cause.

"This kind of enamel loss is often caused by a high intake of acidic foods, including alcohol," explains Middleton. "However, it can be caused by health conditions, such as tooth grinding, reflux, and hiatus hernia. It can also be a sign of the eating disorder bulimia."

For example, bleeding gums may lead to gingivitis - the inflammation of the gums, which can be reversed with good oral hygiene. If left, however, it could lead to periodontitis, which is irreversible damage caused by plaque bacteria.

Middleton says that tooth decay is often caused by poor food and drink choices, but if left may lead to fillings, teeth breaking, root-canal treatment, and extraction. In extreme circumstances, bone loss may also occur.

"The bacteria involved in gum disease not only affect the soft tissues (gums) but can also cause bone loss," she warns.

So if you're tempted to skip brushing once in a while, or know that you've been overdoing it on the fizzy drinks, it's worth remembering that by looking after your teeth, you're also helping to keep your body healthy too.