Osteoporosis is a disease that mainly affects women over the age of 50. But it can happen to anyone no matter age or gender. Osteoporosis causes bone density to decrease, making breaks and whole-body concerns much more common. At my Buckhead dental office, we want to talk about how your oral health may be linked to osteoporosis.

Your Mouth & Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis affects 10 million Americans, and there are 34 million more who are at risk. As with many serious diseases, early detection is key. You may not even know there’s a problem until it’s too late. Sometimes signs aren’t obvious. So how do you get diagnosed if you’re not experiencing any symptoms? Your dentist!

In fact, your dentist may be the first member of your healthcare team to catch osteoporosis. When patients visit the dentist, the team is not just looking at their teeth, they also look at x-rays. These x-rays provide a wealth of information about what’s going on below the teeth, including bone density, and show us signs you or your medical doctor may not see or notice.

Also, there are some potentially serious dental side effects for patients that have been diagnosed with osteoporosis and are being treated with bisphosphonate medications such as Actonel, Actonel+Ca, Aredia, Boniva, Didronel, Fosamax, Fosamax+D, Reclast, Skelid, and Zometa.  It is important to make sure there is no potential for infections in your mouth if you are on these medications and regular dental visits and monitoring are required.    

Signs & Symptoms

While we will be vigilant at your exams, here are some of the signs and symptoms we encourage our patients to watch for:

• Loose dentures
• Tooth loss
• Bone loss around the teeth or in the jaw
• Gum disease

Prevention

In addition to maintaining visits to your Buckhead dentist, there are other preventive actions you can take to decrease your chance of osteoporosis.

• Quit Smoking
• Lower caffeine and alcohol intake
• Get out and exercise
• Get enough vitamin D and calcium

If you’re experiencing any signs of osteoporosis or any side effects from taking bisphosphonate medications, visit your doctor. Even if you’re not having difficulty currently, make sure to keep with your regular visits to my dental office in Buckhead. We actively look for signs of potential osteoporosis and may be the first line of defense against the disease.

Accepting patients from Buckhead, Atlanta, Sandy Springs, and Dunwoody.