Are dentists all about teeth?

There are lots of different dental specialists out there, you’ve got a general dentist who carries out your family dentistry, an endodontist, a periodontist or even a paediatric dentist also known as a children’s dentist. But, are dentists just all about teeth? Let’s cover how a dentist can help you and where they specialise.

Dentists cover more than just teeth, they are experts in all oral health, this includes your teeth, gums and jaw. While all dentists are qualified to treat you generally, you may find you need to visit a periodontist for specialist gum treatment or perhaps the endodontist for specialised root canal treatment to repair the internal part of your tooth. These dentists with additional titles will have additional training in the field they work, but they will still have generalised knowledge of oral health as a whole.

What you may not realise about your dentist is that they do far more than advise on your oral health, they can detect other illnesses and health concerns just by looking inside your mouth.

Here are some conditions they may be able to detect during your checkups.

1. Oral and throat cancer. That’s right, during your check-ups your dentist will also check for abnormalities such as lumps, ulcers and sores that may present as signs of cancer. If your dentist finds something suspicious they will send you for relevant screening to confirm or dismiss the diagnosis.
2. Osteoporosis. Your dentist may spot signs of this bone disease that can be hard to detect. The signs may present as gum disease, tooth loss, or bone loss in the jaw which can be assessed with a CT scan. This is sometimes picked up when having a consultation for dental implants. Often osteoporosis goes undetected until the person has an accident that requires a bone density scan, and therefore early detection by dentists is great.
3. Anaemia. Anaemia can be a fairly easy detection for dentists, anaemia is often spotted due to: pale tissue and gums, a smooth tongue and in some patients persistent minor mouth ulcers.

Your dentist is not simply just about teeth. Our oral health directly impacts the health of the rest of our bodies, and it’s a common saying in dentistry that the mouth is the window to the rest of the body. Many diseases can start or become apparent from the mouth, so your dental visits are very important. Your dentist will be able to help you with any concerns that you have in your mouth, whether it’s your teeth, gums, cheeks, jaw or even the muscle structure within your face that cause other issues such as teeth clenching.

When finding a new dentist we recommend doing your research, have a look online by simply searching ‘dentist near me', check out their website and be sure to look at those reviews. You must pick a reputable and transparent practice that has your best interests at heart.