You’re brushing your teeth one morning and you notice a white sore on your gums. You’ve never seen it there before and you don’t know where it came from or how long it’s been there. As you think about it you also notice that your mouth has been drier than usual, and you’ve been waking up with a slight sore throat.

As you’re rushing out the door to go to work, you simply shrug it off and don’t think about it anymore.

While these changes in your mouth may not cause much pain or discomfort, it doesn’t mean they are harmless.

Most severe oral health issues begin with benign, and hardly noticeable symptoms. If not treated in these early stages, they can progress to more painful, debilitating issues that are harder and more expensive to treat.

Just as important as it is to perform regular self-exams of your body and being sensitive and observant to any and all changes, regular visual exams of your mouth are needed to ensure proper oral health.

Your mouth, just like other parts of your body undergoes changes when something isn’t right. If you notice the following symptoms, contact your dentist right away to schedule an appointment:

·         Bad breath

·         Bleeding gums

·         Sores, swellings, lumps or thick patches anywhere in or around your mouth or in the throat

·          Areas of red or white lesions in your mouth or lips

·         The feeling of a lump in the throat

·         Swelling of the gums and roof and floor of the mouth that can make wearing dentures and retainers uncomfortable

·         Numbness, pain or tenderness anywhere in your mouth

·         Ear pain that isn’t accompanied by hearing loss

·         Trouble moving your jaw or tongue when speaking, chewing or swallowing

·         Loose teeth with no apparent dental cause

·         Lingering and chronic sore throat or hoarseness of voice

·         Teeth sensitivity

·         Loose teeth (without being caused by trauma or decay)

·         White spots on teeth

·         Changes in gums including: pink, red, or bluish-red gums, swollen gums, receding gums,

·         Pus, odor and additional spaces between the teeth

·         White spots on the tongue

·         Color and texture changes on cheeks, throat and tongue such as red patches or white spots and lumps

·         Plaque build-up

·         Dry mouth

·         Sour-taste in mouth

These changes in your mouth can indicate a variety of oral health conditions ranging from sinus infections to gum disease and tooth decay to dangerous oral cancer.

Some changes in the mouth may also indicate an underlying health issues such as stomach ulcers, indigestion, GERD, heartburn and heart disease.

If you notice anything different in your mouth such as discoloration, sensitivity, swelling, bleeding, sores, dry mouth, or weird tastes, contact us today at Madison Smile Solutions to schedule an appointment. Even if there is no pain or discomfort associated with the unusual appearance, our dental professionals should look it over and have it treated right away before it turns into something much worse.

Next time you notice something usual in your mouth, think twice before ignoring it. This can save you money and time from future, more extensive treatment, more severe pain, additional, worse oral health issues and possibly your life.