Celiac disease is a digestive disorder that makes your small intestine unable to process wheat and other foods that contain gluten, but it doesn't just affect digestion. Celiac disease also causes lots of problems in your mouth. Here are five oral health problems that people with celiac disease need to worry about.
Aphthous stomatitis
Aphthous stomatitis, also called canker sores, are one of the ways that celiac disease can manifest itself inside your mouth. These painful sores are either white or yellow and are surrounded by a red, swollen area. They can appear on any of the soft tissues inside your mouth, like the insides of your cheeks, your gums, or the surface of your tongue.
Sometimes, these sores are the only clue that you have celiac disease. About 5% of people with celiac disease will suffer from recurrent aphthous stomatitis but will have no other effects. These sores don't respond to the normal treatments such as corticosteroid creams, and can only be treated by following a gluten-free diet.
Atrophic glossitis
Atrophic glossitis is a condition that makes your tongue look smooth and red. This can affect the whole surface of your tongue or just some sections, and the red areas will be painful. The redness occurs when your papillae (the small pink bumps on the surface of your tongue) atrophy.
This condition is very common among people with celiac disease. Studies have found that about 29.6% of people with celiac disease suffer from tongue pain associated with this condition, while another 8.6% also have redness and missing papillae. It's treated by following a gluten-free diet, which should clear up the symptoms fairly quickly.
Dry mouth
Celiac disease has also been linked to chronic dry mouth, a condition that causes your body to not produce enough saliva. This makes you very thirsty, but the thirst isn't the major problem. The problem with dry mouth is that saliva is essential for healthy teeth. Saliva washes away bacteria and food particles from your teeth and helps to keep them clean between brushings. It also forms a barrier between your teeth and acids, which can erode your teeth.
The usual treatments for dry mouth are drinking more water, chewing gum to stimulate your saliva flow, and using saliva substitutes. As with the other oral manifestations of Celiac disease, a gluten-free diet will also be helpful.
Oral cancer
Oral cancer can affect your lips, your tongue, your gums, the roof of your mouth, or the insides of your cheeks. Sores inside your mouth that don't heal may be cancerous, and lumps or colored patches inside your mouth can also be a cause for concern. If you have celiac disease and aren't following a strict gluten-free diet, you have an increased risk of developing this type of cancer. Avoiding all sources of gluten and seeing your dentist regularly for oral cancer screenings can help keep you safe.
Enamel defects
Your enamel is the hard white part on the outside of your teeth, and even it isn't safe from the effects of celiac disease. You may notice areas of white, yellow, or brown discoloration on some or all of your teeth. You may also notice that some of your teeth have visible pits in their surfaces; these are areas of thinner enamel. Your enamel can't heal itself or regrow, so a gluten-free diet can't repair it. Your dentist will need to use veneers or dental bonding to repair the appearance and functionality of your enamel.
Celiac disease can cause a lot of problems inside your mouth, but following a gluten-free diet can help keep your mouth healthy. If you experience any of these problems, see your dentist right away for treatment. For more information, contact a local dental clinic like Mountainview Dental Health & Implant Centre.
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