Health experts say dental problems reaching 'epidemic' levels

(FOX 13) - We brush, we floss, and if we're good, we see our dentist two or three times a year.  For most of us, the goal is to prevent cavities and avoid the dreaded drill.  

California based dentist Kourosh Maddahi believes, good dental care does much more.

"The mouth does so many different things, the types of bacteria that are there, the type, the amount of the saliva that is there, all of these things.  The mouth is the first line of defense," he tells us.

When that defense breaks down, it causes more than just cavities.  In his book, "The Hidden Epidemic," Dr. Maddahi explains why restoring oral health is so important to our health. 

"[An] epidemic in terms of gingivitis that leads to gum disease, and having gum disease, can be a precursor to heart disease, diabetes and other types of ailments." 

Ailments like viral infections - causing kidney transplants to fail and cancers: Studies show men with gum disease are thirty to fifty percent more likely to develop malignancies in the kidney, pancreas and blood.

One problem contributing to inflammatory gum disease is dry mouth.  He says the condition is often missed.

"So I've had patients that they would come back every three to six months with more cavities, three cavities, four cavities, five cavities and it was so frustrating," he explains.  

In many of his patients, dry mouth was often caused by medications like those for depression, anxiety, allergy and diabetes. Patients also complain of sore throat, swallowing problems and burning in their tongue.

Clenching is also on the rise, especially in teens. Although eighty percent of his patients clench at night, twenty percent also do it during the day. 

"Headaches, tired muscles, not being able to chew meats, can't leave their mouths open for more than two or three minutes, these are all symptoms of clenching or grinding," he says. 

While we all know too much sugar can be bad for teeth, but he says, so can natural snacks like raw nuts.

"TMJ (temporomandibular joint) pain, sensitivity of teeth and cracking of the teeth as a result of this almond that became more of a fashion because it has so many healthy benefits," he says.

While coffee, green tea and wine have their benefits, they may indirectly cause other problems due to their tendency to stain the teeth. That leads to more whitening.

“As a result there is more whitening, as a result of the whitening there is more sensitivity, and all of these things go hand in hand together."

Most of the conditions can be treated with simple mouthwashes, mouth guards, or vented coffee cups to reduce staining.