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Working With My Dentist

Celiac Disease And Your Teeth

21 December 2015

Siiri Puro

Although Celiac disease is mainly a disease of the small intestine, if left untreated, it can cause damage to many areas of your body -- including your teeth. Celiac disease happens when your body mistakes gluten for an allergen and takes action accordingly. Common symptoms include bloating, weight loss, and diarrhea. But advanced symptoms of this painful disorder also include the formation of yellow, brown or white spots on the teeth, pitting of the enamel, banding, deformed enamel formation and teeth that appear translucent. Scientists are not exactly sure why celiac disease affects teeth in this manner, but the body's inability to absorb nutrients properly and an extra antibody present in the blood of those who've been diagnosed are suspects. And unlike other symptoms of celiac disease that may clear up with a change of diet, tooth damage is permanent until repaired using cosmetic dentistry. If your smile suffers from damage brought on by this uncomfortable condition, a cosmetic dentist is the one who can restore it to its former brilliance using a number of available options:

Inlays or Overlays

Structural damage caused by celiac disease can often be corrected through the use of inlays or overlays. Made from either porcelain or composite, these fillings are sent out to be created in a lab and then returned to your dentist to be applied using a type of dental cement. Inlays and overlays can help restore the shape of teeth that have been deformed from a number of causes, including disease. 

Composite Bonding

Teeth that are discolored, broken or chipped can often be bonded to restore their color and appearance. In bonding your tooth, your cosmetic dentist applies a composite material to the damaged tooth, sculpts it into shape and then dries it using high-intensity light. The result is a permanent fix that's indistinguishable from real enamel. 

Tooth Whitening

In some cases, a simple tooth whitening may be all that's needed to whiten teeth discolored by celiac disease. Stains caused by disease typically fall under the category of intrinsic -- meaning they formed, over time, on the inside of the tooth as opposed to extrinsic stains that are on the exterior of teeth. Intrinsic stains are more difficult to remove and may require a slow process of repeated bleaching over time. Not all extrinsic stains are correctable by whitening or bleaching, however, and if this is the case, your cosmetic dentist may suggest dental veneers instead. 

Dental Veneers

Porcelain or composite veneers are laminates that are cemented over the surface of a cracked or discolored truth to hide the defect. Veneers can correct many problems caused by celiac disease, including translucent enamel and spotting. They're typically reserved for more severe cosmetic tooth damage that can't be resolved in simpler ways because they cover the real tooth permanently, which can seem invasive. For teeth that aren't so severely damaged, bonding is typically the better option. 

So if you've recently been diagnosed with celiac disease and you're working to repair the toll it has taken on your body over time, don't overlook the condition of your smile. It's a simple enough task for your cosmetic dentist to evaluate the condition of your teeth and to make recommendations based upon what he or she finds. And there's really no need to face the world with teeth that are discolored, spotty, deformed, or otherwise unattractive. Your smile is the doorway to your soul, after all, and keeping it in good condition is necessary to instill confidence and boost self-esteem. Don't be afraid to talk to your dentist about all the available options at your disposal for correcting dental problems caused by celiac disease. Check out websites like http://www.DentistNova.com for more information.                                                                                                                           

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