Health Tip: Your Mouth is a Health Barometer

Oral problems may be tied to other medical issues

December 16, 2010 RSS Feed Print

(HealthDay News) -- 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.