The dentist's guide to your health

The dentist's guide to your health. Many people are reluctant to visit a dentist. But having a regular checkup could be a life-saver.

Because they have had medical training, dentists can detect early signs of major illnesses, often before the patient feels unwell.

Dentists are trying to persuade patients that their work goes beyond checking on the health of their teeth.

'Going to your dentist a couple of times a year could be vitally important to your general health,' says dentist Dev Patel.

'Patients are usually unaware how much a mouth can tell about a person's wellbeing. They would be surprised to discover that we can detect conditions such as cancer, diabetes and leukaemia.'

Dr Patel is one of growing number of dentists trying to coax reluctant patients into their practices as part of a broader healthcare package.

'There are at-risk groups such as smokers and drinkers who might not visit their GP regularly but could be persuaded to see their dentist twice a year,' he says.

Dr Patel, who works at Edmonton Village Practice in North London, is seeing a patient whose family has a history of mouth cancer, although none of them smoke.

'She comes to me because a dentist can see early changes in the lining of the mouth and there is a also a simple test to check if a cancer is present.

'We need to convince people that there is more to the dentist than just fillings and cleaning their teeth. I am always on the lookout for symptoms that might indicate illnesses that are non-dental.'

Helen Howe's dentist detected what turned out to be a pituitary gland tumour which had been plaguing her health for two years. She had thought her symptoms were to do with the menopause and had suffered without seeking help.

'At first my dentist thought it was a stress-related condition because he saw the lining inside the cheek was covered in white spots,' says Helen, 57, from Whittlesey, near Peter-borough.

'He looked at my records and noticed my teeth had started to move apart, leaving gaps. Some of my bones had been growing because the tumour was stimulating the body to produce more growth hormone than normal.

'My fingers had swollen so that I had to have my wedding ring enlarged. Also, my foot size went up from five and a half to seven.

'One day I noticed that my nose seemed to have got larger and so had my lips. I went to my GP who thought it was a dental problem.

'After a thorough examination, my dentist sent me to see an endocrinologist. He spotted I was suffering from acromegaly, which is caused by an extremely rare benign growth on the pituitary gland.'

Many doctors can easily miss it and Helen's dental records were crucial in alerting her dentist.

After keyhole surgery at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge last September, Helen is slowly recovering.

'If my illness hadn't been detected by my dentist, I would have probably gone on suffering for years,' she says.

Dr Patel says oral cancer causes the most concern. 'Patients who drink and smoke are more likely to get it as well as people who grind their teeth and damage the soft lining of the mouth.

'I would particularly advise people who smoke and drink to have regular check-ups. Around 3,000 people a year are diagnosed with mouth cancer. There is a mortality rate of about 50 pc after five years. The outlook is better the sooner it is detected.'

Conditions that can be detected by dentists:

Oral cancer: If the cancer is in the bones of the mouth, a dentist can spot swellings. If the salivary glands are affected, swollen cheeks and tonsils are an indicator.

Leukaemia: Swollen and enlarged gums, bleeding gums and ulceration of the mouth are all early indicators.

Diabetes: A tell-tale sign is the smell of acetone on the breath. Patients might also suffer from recurrent multiple gum abscesses.

Osteoporosis: in the bones that hold the teeth can be spotted on a dental X-ray.

Hodgkin's Disease: A sometimes fatal disease of the lymphatic system. Swollen lymph nodes, a symptom, can be detected in the mouth.

Addison's Disease: Affects the adrenal glands resulting in weight loss, severe fatigue and lowered resistance to infection. It can be detected from changes in the pigmentation of the oral tissue and gums.

HIV: Indicators in the mouth include ulcers, enlarged tonsils, thrush infections, growths and severe gum disease. ( dailymail.co.uk )