Why When Checking the Doctor, Which Mouth Is Checked First?

Contents:

• Medical Video: How To Check For Mouth For Cancer
  
• The mouth is the beginning of the cause of most diseases in the body
  
• Why do doctors ask patients to open their mouth before examining other body parts?
  
• List of diseases that can be detected from oral health
  

Medical Video: How To Check For Mouth For Cancer

"Open your mouth wide, huh." This doctor's request is definitely always said before starting another physical examination. Maybe all this time you are confused, how come the mouth is checked first instead of the sick limb? Eits, wait a minute. The request to open your mouth at the beginning of the examination does have a purpose, you know. Check out the full review below.

The mouth is the beginning of the cause of most diseases in the body

The mouth is the initial gate for the entry of food and drinks before reaching other digestive organs. That is why the mouth is a good habitat for microbes, although most tend to be harmless. Good bacteria in the mouth can help protect teeth and gums and facilitate digestion, but these bacteria can also cause disease in the body when it enters the bloodstream.

According to Sally Cram, D.D.S., an oral and dental expert from the American Dental Association (ADA), every infection in the mouth can propagate into the bloodstream and affect one's organs and immune system. Of course this depends on what you consume and the patience to keep your teeth and mouth clean.

Under normal conditions, these bacteria usually do not enter the bloodstream. But if you do not brush your teeth regularly, the bacteria will form plaques in the teeth. When plaque deposits begin to gnaw teeth and cause infection, these bacteria will enter the body through the bloodstream.

In fact, there is no need to worry about infection, provided you have a healthy immune system. Because, your immune system will fight all forms of infection that enter the body. But on the contrary, a weak immune system can make bacteria that enter the bloodstream infect other parts of the body. One of them is infective endocarditis, which is a bacterial infection of the mouth that attacks the heart valve layer.

Why do doctors ask patients to open their mouth before examining other body parts?

Because the mouth can be the entry gate for disease, that's why you will definitely be asked to open your mouth wide every time you see a doctor. This is certainly not without reason. This way, the doctor can see the condition of your mouth as a whole with the help of a flashlight and a special stick to hold the tongue (tongue depressor).

The overall health of your body can be reflected in what is seen in the mouth -starting from teeth, gums, tongue and throat. Yes.The condition of your mouth can greatly help your doctor to detect the initial signs and symptoms of various diseases that affect the body as a whole.

For example, by looking at the surface andthe color of your tongue. Check the condition of the tongue aims to ascertain how well your body fluids have been present, also at the same time clarify the illness suffered by the patient. If the tongue has a white coat or white spots that are thick enough, this can be a sign of thrush due to fungal infection or leukoplakia which can be the forerunner of oral cancer.

Flashing the condition of the throat also allows the doctor to make sure it is therebacterial infections, such as sore throat or tonsils, or abscesses. A layer or white lesion on the surface of the mouth can also indicate signs of infection or other underlying health problems.

List of diseases that can be detected from oral health

Studies show that inflammation associated with periodontitis (gum disease) can cause health problems in other organs. Including the following:

1. Endocarditis. Endocarditis is an infection that occurs because oral bacteria enter the bloodstream and infect the inner lining of the heart (endocardium).
2. Cardiovascular disease. Some research shows that heart disease, arterial blockage, and stroke are likely to occur due to oral bacteria that enter the bloodstream and cause inflammation.
3. Pregnancy and birth. Periodontitis can cause premature babies and low weight (LBW).
4. Tongue color. Various colors of the tongue can indicate a health problem in your body. For example, a tongue with a white coating or white spots can indicate canker sores or leukoplakia, if it is dark red it indicates the body lacks vitamin B-12 and folic acid, if it is black or dark it indicates the patient has diabetes, and so on.
5. Tonsillitis, which is a condition when the tonsils are red, swollen, or have white or yellow spots.