Your Mouth is a Health Barometer

Health Tip: Your Mouth is a Health Barometer
Oral problems may be tied to other medical issues

From the December 16 2010 Health Day news item by Diana Kohnle

Oral health problems, such as gum disease or mouth sores, can be related to other health issues.

The womenshealth.gov Web site says these health conditions often are related to oral health problems:

• Cancer treatments, which can cause mouth sores and mouth pain.
• Diabetes, which can affect the gums.
• HIV, which can cause pain in the mouth and loss of taste.
• Nutritional deficiencies, as difficulty eating can lead to malnutrition.
• Heart disease patients may require special precautions, such as taking an antibiotic to prevent infection before a dental procedure.

Related Web Sites

• Mouth Disorders (MedlinePlus) has links to overviews, specific conditions , health check tools, patient handouts, and more
• Mouth Problems (Family Doctor.org) gives information about possible diagnoses and self care options depending on symptoms
• Mouth Diseases (NetWellness.org) has links to general information, symptoms, tests, and treatment.
  Ask-An-Expert (left column) has answers to questions as tongue soreness, red bumps on tongue, and much more.
  Visitors can pose questions to medical experts, replies usually within a few days.

Fall 2010 Issue of NIH MedlinePlus is now Online

“The latest issue of the NIH MedlinePlus Magazine is now available online. In every issue you’ll find information you can use to keep you and your family healthy, including links to MedlinePlus, NLM’s award-winning consumer health web site”

Contents include

**Feature – Fighting Gum Disease (with information on  how to take care of your teeth, risk factors, treatment and research)

**Feature: Phobias and Anxiety Disorders (with fast facts and links to informative Web sites)

**Feature: Alzheimer’s Disease

**Feature: Coronary Heart Disease