It is said that the face is the mirror of the soul and according to dentists, in addition, by carefully observing teeth, a large amount of information can be obtained about people’s habits and health problems. This is how the dentist shows it Núria Obradorsmedical director of the clinics abadenwho reveals eight things that a dentist can learn about us with a simple routine examination:
Stress
The specialist explains that people with high levels of stress are very prone to suffer bruxisman involuntary habit that occurs mainly during sleeping hours and that consists of clenching and/or grinding the teeth.
“People with bruxism tend to have teeth that are too short or have very regular edges,” says Obradors. “This is due to the ‘filing’ action that causes constant, nightly clenching or grinding of the teeth,” he adds.
Eating disorders
Eating disorders, especially bulimia, can also be detected after a routine oral examination. This is because the acids that are expelled when you vomit are very corrosive and erode the enamel.
“This erosion is perceived, above all, on the back of the teeth, which is the one that comes into most contact with the acids of the vomit. As a consequence of erosion, the teeth become smaller and the dentine”, clarifies the expert.
Dentin is the middle layer of the tooth and is protected by enamel. It contains the dentinal tubules, that is, small channels that are sensitive to thermal changes (hot or cold). When they come into contact with these stimuli, they cause tooth sensitivity in person.
Habits such as nail biting or pen chewing
The dentist points out that people who bite their nails compulsively and for a long time (a habit known as onicofagia) also suffered damage to their teeth. “This habit mainly wears the central teeth (incisors), which are the most used for nail biting.”
A similar effect is exerted on the teeth by eating pipes or chewing on pens. According to the doctor, “it is common for the incisors of people who have these habits to have small chips and cracks.”
Pacifier abuse or thumb sucking in childhood
The most curious thing is that the smile not only reveals habits of the present but also of the past. past: if they were children who sucked their thumb or used a pacifier for a long time.
“These habits, carried out beyond the age of three, are the main cause of the openbitea malocclusion in which the upper and lower anterior (front) teeth do not contact because there is a space between them that originated from the prolonged interposition of the pacifier or the thumb”, explains the dentist.
smoking
According to the expert, smoking is one of the problems that dentists can detect more easily since at a visual level “the components of tobacco leave some characteristics stains brown or yellow on the teeth, and equally identifiable is the breath of a smoker, especially if you do not have excellent oral hygiene. This is due, above all, to the fact that tobacco decreases the flow of saliva”.
The dentist explains that saliva naturally sweeps away bacteria from the mouth, however, its reduction causes bacteria to accumulate and, when they come into contact with food debris, generate a sulfur-derived compound that has an aroma disgusting.
“In addition, it must be taken into account that tobacco is one of the main causes of the dreaded periodontitis or pyorrhea a gum disease that, apart from causing halitosisIt can cause teeth to fall out,” he says.
Consumption of medicines
Although currently banned, tetracyclines were widely used antibiotics in the 1970s. “Time has shown that the use of tetracyclines in pregnant women and children under 8 years of age caused severe and lifelong staining of the teeth that manifested as dark lines (gray or brown) and that cannot be removed even with oral cleaning. nor with bleaching. The only way to mask them is through dental veneers”, says the dentist.
Lack of tooth brushing
the lack of Oral hygiene it is also easy for dentists to guess. “Insufficient brushing causes a wide variety of symptoms, both in the short and long term: tartar accumulation, bleeding gums, formation of embrasures (small triangular spaces between the teeth), cavities, tooth loss…”, says Obradors.
Age
Finally, dentists also have the ability to “guess” the age of children with surprising accuracy. “This is due to the fact that we have perfectly identified at what ages the tooth replacement. That is, when each milk tooth falls out for the final tooth to erupt.
Núria Obradors also concludes that: “with a panoramic X-ray we can also observe the degree of maturation of the crown and the dental root, which also offers information when calculating the age of a child.”