Oral Health As An Overall Marker For Health Status

World Oral Health Day is celebrated on the 20th of March every year, and yes, oral health needs celebration. The mouth is a marker for overall health, well-being, and quality of life. Just by taking a look at your mouth, a clinician—or better still, a dentist—can tell a lot about your health.

It should come as no surprise that every clinical specialist in medicine will tell you that their branch of the study of human anatomy is the best marker for overall health. Ophthalmologists are major culprits in this regard, and I do not disagree with them. Various parts of the human body tell a story about overall health status. There is a fact, though: nowhere tells as much, or as well, as the oral cavity.

To prove this, here are a few conditions that can be diagnosed by a dentist performing an oral examination. Dental conditions will be excluded:

1. Iron Deficiency Anemia

Findings: Pale mucosa, atrophic glossitis (smooth tongue), angular cheilitis.

2. Diabetes Mellitus

Findings: Periodontitis, dry mouth, delayed healing, fungal infections.

3. Hyperthyroidism

Findings: Accelerated tooth eruption (in children), osteoporosis of the jaw.

4. Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Findings: Oral candidiasis, hairy leukoplakia, Kaposi sarcoma lesions.

5. Syphilis

Findings: Chancre, mucous patches, gumma in the tertiary stage.

6. Vitamin C Deficiency

Findings: Bleeding gums, loose teeth.

7. Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Findings: Glossitis (beefy red tongue), burning sensation.

8. Vitamin B2 Deficiency

Findings: Angular cheilitis, magenta tongue.

9. Bulimia Nervosa

Findings: Enamel erosion (especially palatal surfaces), parotid enlargement.

10. Drug-Induced Gingival Hyperplasia

Drugs: Phenytoin, cyclosporine, calcium channel blockers.

Findings: Overgrown gums.

11. Infective Endocarditis

Findings: Possible gingival infection source.

The point of this list is not just about the many diseases that your mouth can reveal. Yes, for a part of the body that does not really matter to anyone but a dentist, it holds a lot of secrets. It should be obvious then, that taking care of this revealer of secrets, and regular consultation with someone who can read these secrets is an important part of total healthcare. Good oral hygiene is as important as care of other parts of the body. Brushing twice a day and flossing is not a chore or an agenda pushed by a wealthy entrepreneur to sell more flossing threads. Regular dental checkups are not any less important than regular health checkups.

As we are reminded from the themes for World Oral Health Day 2025 and 2026, “A Happy Mouth is a Happy Mind and a Happy Life”.

Olajide Olamide