Celiac Disease Symptoms: Dental Defects & Mouth Issues

Although other health issues can cause teeth troubles, they are common enough in celiac disease that in 2019 the European Society for the Study of Celiac Disease began recommending screening all patients with dental enamel defects and recurrent canker sores for celiac disease.

Common mouth issues in patients with celiac disease include:

• Discolored teeth—white, yellow, or brown spots on the front and back teeth (incisors and molars)
• Damaged enamel—enamel is a tough, protective outer layer on your teeth.
• Mouth ulcers—small, painful sores in your mouth that often disappear on their own

Discolored Teeth and Enamel Defects

A study from 2025 found enamel defects in 27% of the patients with celiac disease versus just 4% in the patients without celiac disease.

Dental enamel defects can occur if celiac disease develops while permanent teeth are forming in children under 7 years old. Tooth defects resulting from celiac disease are permanent and do not improve once a diagnosed person adopts a gluten-free diet.

It’s now recommended that dentists consider celiac disease when dental enamel defects, recurrent mouth ulcers, or both are found. Tips for dentists include asking patients with defects or ulcers about other symptoms of celiac disease, including abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, poor growth, anemia, and fatigue. Patients should also be asked about other autoimmune conditions, including type 1 diabetes and thyroiditis, since they increase the risk of celiac disease. Celiac disease should also be added to the list of disorders dentists ask about during family history screening. If a dentist suspects celiac disease, the guidelines advise consulting with the patient’s primary care doctor.

Dentists should not recommend a gluten-free diet to a patient suspected of having celiac disease before a definitive diagnosis is made.

Mouth Ulcers

Mouth ulcers, also called mouth sores or canker sores, are caused by a break in the skin on the lips or surrounding the mouth. Various sores can appear anywhere within the mouth, including the inner cheeks, gums, tongue, lips, or roof of the mouth (palate). They are often painful to touch. They can have many causes, and may signify a more serious medical condition, including celiac disease.

Additional Resources

For more information, see a topic overview on the American Dental Association website.