Experts at Hiep Hoa Hospital in Beijing (China) recommend not to underestimate abnormalities in the oral cavity. Symptoms such as bad breath, recurrent mouth ulcers or jaw joint pain are not only related to oral health but can also reflect digestive, immune and mental health problems.
Bad breath can originate from the intestines
According to Dr. Dong Hai Dao - Deputy Head of the Department of Odonto-Stomatology, Hiep Hoa Beijing Hospital, bad breath is often related to local causes such as plaque on the tongue, periodontitis or improper oral hygiene. However, this can also be a manifestation of systemic diseases, especially digestive disorders.
When the intestinal microbiome is imbalanced, bacteria from the oral cavity can move down to the digestive tract, exacerbating the disorder of the microbiome. Conversely, odorous gases produced by intestinal bacteria can also escape into the oral cavity, causing prolonged bad breath.
Studies show that people with enteritis have significantly higher levels of bacteria originating from the oral cavity in the intestines than healthy people.
Prolonged stress increases the risk of mouth ulcers
Not only physical diseases, psychological factors also have a clear impact on oral cavity health.
According to Dr. Diep Tam Nghi - resident doctor of the Department of Odonto-Stomatology, Hiep Hoa Beijing Hospital, recurrent mouth ulcers, mouth burning syndrome and flat lichen disease in the oral mucosa are all closely related to stress, anxiety and insomnia.
The group of subjects prone to these diseases are older women. As age increases, the recovery ability of the oral mucosa decreases. Along with hormonal changes, factors such as anxiety, excessive thinking and sleep disorders can make mucosal damage easily recur.
Anxiety can cause temporomandibular joint disorders
According to Professor Van Khoat - Head of the Department of Odonto-Stomatology, Hiep Hoa Hospital, Beijing, many people when stressed often unconsciously grind their teeth or tighten their jaws.
If this condition persists, the chewing muscles are always in a stiff state, increasing pressure on the temporomandibular joint, disrupting joint balance and leading to joint dysfunction.
Although temporomandibular joint disorders have many causes, many studies have identified anxiety as one of the important risk factors.
Don't ignore the abnormalities in the oral cavity
Experts emphasize that many problems in the oral cavity only manifest as mild symptoms such as bad breath, recurrent mouth ulcers or jaw pain. However, this may be an "alarming sign" of digestive, immune or mental health disorders.
Therefore, everyone should have regular dental check-ups, maintain proper oral hygiene and go to a medical facility when symptoms persist or recur many times to be examined, determine the cause and receive timely treatment.
