Questions Your Doctor May Ask - and Why!
During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in his assesment of the symptom: Gum symptoms.
These may include a physical examination or other medical tests.
Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing
your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information
you can share with your doctor may help them with their diagnosis.
Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:
- How long have you had gum symptoms?
Why: to determine if acute or chronic.
- What specific symptoms concerning the gums do you have?
Why: e.g. bleeding gums, swollen gums, tender gums, gum ulcers.
- If gums have been bleeding, have you noticed any bleeding from other areas?
Why: e.g. nose, easy bruising of skin, painful swelling of joints - may help determine if due to bleeding disorder.
- If gums have been bleeding, have you noticed a viral illness or sore throat beforehand?
Why: may suggest acute Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) especially in children.
- Dental health?
Why: when last saw a dentist?, dental care routine? Known dental caries? - may suggest gingivitis, periodontitis, Vincent's infection.
- Are you pregnant?
Why: generalized gum swelling may be a side-effect of pregnancy.
- Medical history?
Why: e.g. leukemia , immunocompromised, malnutrition.
- Medication history?
Why: medications that may reduce platelets and predispose to bleeding gums include chloramphenicol, cytotoxic drugs, gold, heparin, phenylbutazone, sulphonamides, quinine, quinidine, thiazide diuretics; medications that cause platelet function abnormalities and predispose to bleeding gums include aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories.
- Medications that cause coagulation factor deficiency and predispose to bleeding gums include warfarin; phenytoin use in epileptic children, cyclosporine and nifedipine may cause dramatic gum enlargement
- Family history?
Why: of easy bruising or bleeding.
- Dietary history?
Why: may indicate Scurvy if Vitamin C deficient which may cause gums to become swollen, teeth to become loose, drop out or become misaligned; malnutrition can increase the risk of Acute ulcerative gingivitis (Vincent's infection).
- Possible poisoning?
Why: e.g. lead intoxication or poisoning may cause a dark blue line positioned where the gums meet the teeth.
- Cigarette smoking?
Why: increases risk of gingivitis.
- Alcohol history?
Why: can reduce platelets and increase the risk of bleeding gums.
Questions your doctor may ask about related symptoms:
Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse
your condition. These may include:
- Easy bruising, bleeding nose, heavy periods?
Why: may suggest bleeding disorder as cause of bleeding gums.
- Tiredness, weight loss, fever, night sweats?
Why: may suggest malignancy such as leukemia which may also be associated with swollen and bleeding gums.
- Gum ulceration?
Why: may suggest acute ulcerative gingivitis (Vincent's disease).
- Skin rash?
Why: may suggest lupus erythematosus which can cause an autoimmune thrombocytopenia and bleeding gums.
- Dry mouth (xerostomia)?
Why: e.g. diabetes, certain drugs , Sjogren's syndrome, dehydration, anemia, HIV infection, irradiation - can increase the risk of dental caries and thus gingivitis and bleeding gums.
- Symptoms of gingivitis?
Why: e.g. tender, red, swollen and bleeding gums - Gingivitis is an inflammatory process caused by failure to remove bacteria in the form of plaque from the tooth-gum junction.
- Symptoms of lead poisoning?
Why: e.g. nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting blood, dark blue line positioned where the gums meet the teeth.
- Symptoms of scurvy?
Why: e.g. weakness, muscle pain, 'corkscrew hair', swollen spongy gums with bleeding and loosening of the teeth, spontaneous skin bruising, poor wound healing.
- Symptoms of Vincent's disease (acute ulcerative gingivitis)?
Why: e.g. tender, red, swollen, bleeding and ulcerated gums - occurs in the malnourished person with poor dentition and also in the immunocompromised person.
- Symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease?
Why: e.g. fever, headache, sore mouth, shallow ulcers on the lining of the mouth, gums and tongue, blisters on hands, palms and soles.
» Next page: Types of Gum symptoms
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