As long as your pearly whites ensure an Insta-worthy smile, who cares about the rest, right? Wrong! If you don't give too much thought to your oral hygiene, you might be missing out on important signs your mouth may be sending you about your health. You could be overlooking some clear signs of the state of your overall health. Here’s a list ensuring that you don’t do that anymore...

When your mouth tastes like you've been licking an aluminium can, it could be a side effect of a medication you're taking. It could also be a possibility of a gum disease that will require dental care and a dentist to look into it. You could even have a zinc deficiency and might need to start taking supplements under the advice of your doctor.

While it could be due to poor hygiene, white bumps could also be because you have a dry mouth. Swollen white nodes toward the back of your tongue could also indicate HPV, though your dentist would need to biopsy the lesions to be sure. And if you spot a bluish layer, it could be a blood clot that could signify a more serious condition like oral cancer.

White strands or web-like patterns inside your cheek usually mean you have lichen planus, a condition that can also cause shiny red bumps on other areas of your skin such as your hands, nails, or scalp. And while this isn’t very dangerous, you must get it checked.

Most people have stained teeth because of the lifestyles they lead and that involves not brushing after a late night and smoking, hence it’s almost always superficial. However, for dark stains that won’t go away, it could mean the tooth has cracked to the pulp, where the nerves and blood vessels are located or it could also mean that you have a celiac disease.

Cracking, crumbling, or suddenly crooked teeth can indicate that you may need to check on your mental—rather than physical—wellness. These symptoms are those of stress. Also, stress triggers muscle tension in your jaw, causing you to clench it closed at night. This can lead to headaches, difficulty closing your mouth, or permanent damage to your jaw joint.

It’s important to know what kind of sore you are dealing with. Crater-like sores that appear inside or outside the mouth are canker sores and ulcers and the other type are fluid-filled sores on your lips. Sores are caused due to various reasons including the likes of allergies, or a nutritional deficiency of iron, folic acid, or vitamin B-12. Stress and hormones also play a role here.

These cracked areas actually have a name—angular cheilitis—and they're not just a side effect of chapped, dry lips. They could be due to fungal and bacterial infections. Other triggers can include recent mouth trauma, chapped lips, a lip-licking habit, or excess saliva.

Bad breath is due to a buildup of bacteria—and a sign you need to be more mindful with your toothbrush. If it does not go even after regularly keeping your mouth clean, it could be a sign of a respiratory disease, post-nasal drip, uncontrolled diabetes, gastric reflux, or kidney failure even!

A dry mouth could be due to medication. Moisture in your mouth helps prevent cavities, tooth decay, gingivitis, and other oral infections. Also, if you continue to have a dry mouth despite stopping the medication, you might have to visit your dentist.