Dentist: The six signs in your mouth that mean you’re healthier than you think – and the ‘morning drool’ clue to look out for
Most of us judge our health by the number on the scales, how often we exercise or the results of our latest blood test.
But according to US family dentist Dr Mark Burhenne, some of the biggest clues about your wellbeing are hiding inside your mouth.
The creator of the hugely popular Ask the Dentist series, who has more than 1.2 million Instagram followers, recently shared six unexpected signs that could indicate you’re healthier than you think.
Interestingly, several have nothing to do with having a cavity-free smile.
Instead, Dr Burhenne said the seemingly insignificant details, like whether you wake up with drool on your pillow to how your wisdom teeth came through, can reveal everything from how well you’re breathing at night to the quality of your sleep.
One of the first things he said to pay attention to is what your pillow looks like when you wake up.
While many people assume drooling is harmless, Dr Burhenne explained that consistently waking with a dry mouth or signs of mouth breathing could indicate your teeth are missing out on one of their biggest forms of protection overnight.
‘Mouth breathing drops oral pH, dries out your protective saliva and triggers grinding,’ he explained.
Most of us judge our health by the number on the scales, how often we exercise or the results of our latest blood test. But according to US family dentist Dr Mark Burhenne (pictured), some of the biggest clues about your wellbeing are hiding inside your mouth
‘If you wake up with a dry mouth, your teeth are under attack every night while you sleep.’
Saliva does much more than simply keep your mouth comfortable. It continually washes away bacteria, neutralises acids and supplies teeth with calcium and phosphate to help repair enamel throughout the day and night.
And without enough saliva, those natural defences begin to disappear.
‘Dry mouth isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s how cavities happen fast,’ he added.
Persistent dry mouth can also be linked to dehydration, certain medications and medical conditions, making it worth mentioning to your dentist or GP if it happens regularly.
Another surprisingly revealing feature is something many adults have never even heard of – mamelons.
These are the tiny rounded bumps found along the edge of newly erupted permanent front teeth.
While they naturally wear down over time, Dr Burhenne says if they’ve completely disappeared because your teeth have been ground flat, it may point to a much bigger issue.
Many adults have never heard of mamelons – the small bumps on newly erupted front teeth (pictured)
They can be seen subtly here in an adult’s mouth; the teeth edges aren’t completely straight. ‘If they’re gone, your enamel has been worn flat, almost always from grinding,’ he said
‘If they’re gone, your enamel has been worn flat, almost always from grinding,’ he said.
Grinding, also known as bruxism, often happens during sleep and can gradually wear away enamel, increase tooth sensitivity and even lead to cracked teeth and jaw pain. It’s also frequently associated with poor-quality sleep.
Another subtle feature dentists assess during routine check-ups is the amount of dark space visible between the corners of your mouth and your back teeth when you smile, often referred to as ‘black corridors’.
People with wider dental arches typically have very little of this dark space visible, while narrower arches create larger gaps.
‘Wide arches mean your airway has room,’ he reassured.
However, he added that narrow arches are one of the biggest predictors of sleep apnoea that a dentist can identify during a routine examination because they often indicate less room for the airway.
The dentist famously says ‘you can’t out-floss a bad diet’ and offers nutrition tips as well
Dentists often assess the dark spaces between the corners of your mouth and your back teeth, known as ‘black corridors’. According to Dr Burhenne, wider dental arches usually leave very little dark space, while larger gaps may indicate a narrower airway and a risk of sleep apnoea
Sleep apnoea causes repeated interruptions to breathing overnight and has been linked to excessive daytime fatigue, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
When it comes to many people’s bugbear of wisdom teeth, they can offer clues about your overall health.
While impacted wisdom teeth are often dismissed as bad luck, Dr Burhenne believes they can sometimes be the result of a jaw that didn’t develop wide enough.
According to him, a narrow jaw doesn’t just contribute to overcrowded teeth, it can also restrict the airway, making it more difficult to breathe properly during deep sleep, causing the body to spend more time in lighter, less restorative stages of rest.
Finally, he urged that healthy gums should never bleed when you floss.
Many people assume seeing blood is normal, particularly if they haven’t flossed for a while, but he said bleeding gums are in fact a sign of inflammation.
He added that the same chronic inflammation has been linked to conditions including heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
Bleeding gums are one of the earliest warning signs of gingivitis, the mildest form of gum disease, which is typically caused by plaque accumulating around the gumline.
Left untreated, it can progress to more advanced periodontal disease, but in many cases it can be reversed with good oral hygiene and regular dental care.
While none of these signs alone can diagnose an underlying health condition, Dr Burhenne believes they demonstrate just how closely oral health is connected to the rest of the body.
