Dentists are urging primary care doctors to pay closer attention to signs of illness that may show up in the mouth. From overlooked gum disease to suspicious lesions, oral health can provide a critical window into broader medical concerns. 

A recent statement by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force found that dental screenings by primary care doctors may not work well enough to catch patients most at risk of oral health issues. 

But dentists say a quick look during regular office visits could help catch health problems. 

"Health care providers other than dentists don't look in the mouth a lot, and if they do, they're looking past the teeth and mouth into the throat," said Romesh Nalliah, DDS, MHCM, an associate dean for patient services at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry in Ann Arbor.