Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that mostly affects your digestive tract, but it can have a surprising impact on your oral health as well. While the hallmark symptoms of Crohn’s disease are well-known, like abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, anemia, and fatigue, there are other, lesser-known symptoms that can actually be found in your mouth.
That’s why telling your dentist if you have Crohn’s disease is super important, because it can help both you and your treating physician keep an eye on any related dental and oral concerns. Plus, you may need to up your dental treatment to keep your mouth healthy, which is why being open and honest with your dentist can go a long way in effectively managing the condition.
If you’ve been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, here’s everything you should brush up on (no pun intended) about the connection between this chronic condition and its impact on oral health.
Crohn’s disease and oral health: What’s the connection?
Researchshows a strong connection between inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, and dental conditions like dental caries, infections, and periodontitis. That’s because these conditions may share thesame pathogens, or microorganisms, that play a key role in their existence.
In fact, studies show that up to35 percentof people diagnosed with IBD will also experience the illness outside their digestive tract in a phenomenon known as “extra-intestinal manifestation.”
Anywhere from5 percent to 50 percentof those individuals will see Crohn’s disease in their oral cavity, and some theories believe that the disease could first show up as oral inflammation before presenting itself in the intestines. In aresearch review, one study found that out of 113 people diagnosed with IBD, 54.9 percent had increased oral symptoms when compared to a control group without IBD.
Signs and symptoms to look out for
Oral and dental manifestations of Crohn’s disease, sometimes known asoral Crohn’s disease, can show up in several ways. Here are key signs and symptoms to look out for:
What is oral Crohn’s disease?
Oral Crohn’s diseaseis a less common form of Crohn’s disease that causes ulceration in and around the mouth. This generally includes some appearance of Crohn’s disease in the bowel. But60 percentof oral Crohn’s disease can initially show up without any gut disease. Over time, though, 30 percent of those individuals will go on to develop gut symptoms.
If you have Crohn’s disease, it’s a good idea to keep track of canker sores, since they’re one of the most common oral manifestations of the condition.
Treatment for oral Crohn’s disease
While oral Crohn’s disease may be painful, there are numerous ways to treat it that begin with first identifying the cause of canker sores. Since medication can cause canker sores to flare up, it’s important for your dentist to rule out that possibility before beginning a treatment plan. If you take medication for Crohn’s disease or other conditions, be sure to let your dentist know.
Once medication has been ruled out as a cause, or adjusted as needed, these treatments can also be considered to treat canker sores or other oral symptoms of Crohn’s disease:
In more serious cases of oral Crohn’s or for individuals with extreme swelling, surgery may be necessary, though this approach isn’t common and is generally only considered if other noninvasive treatments don’t work.
How does Crohn’s disease affect dental treatment?
People diagnosed with Crohn’s disease may seek out more dental treatment than those who aren’t diagnosed with the condition.Studiesshow that people who have Crohn’s disease have more dental procedures, including 65 percent more removable dentures, 52 percent more filling in front teeth, and 46 percent more endodontic treatment, or treatments of tissues and pulps like root canals.
Crohn’s disease can alsocausegum inflammation, gingivitis, and your breath to smell, which may also lead to increased dental treatment. If you have Crohn’s disease, it’s important to keep up with dental cleanings and make it a point to contact your dentist at least twice a year.
Questions to ask your dentist
Creating a handy list of questions to ask your dentist about the connection between Crohn’s disease and oral health, or about any concerns you may have, can help you get the right treatment and prevention plan.
Here are questions to consider asking your dentist:
The takeaway
Crohn’s disease isn’t always just in your gut. Sometimes, it can show up in your mouth, teeth, and overall oral health. That doesn’t mean there’s no solution, though.
With the right information and by keeping up with your dental care, you can manage and even prevent some oral symptoms of Crohn’s disease. Talk with your dentist to develop a care plan that’s right for you.
