More people are being diagnosed with diabetes, and it is a condition that affects your body’s ability to process sugar correctly. Usually, your body will create the hormone insulin that converts sugars in the foods you consume into energy.
People with diabetes either cannot produce insulin or are insulin resistant, where they cannot use the insulin produced by their body correctly. Consequently, their blood sugar levels can rise, causing multiple health problems.
Although the effect on overall health can be significant, diabetes can negatively impact oral health. High blood sugar levels can affect your teeth and gums, leaving you at risk of developing dental problems.
The effect is more severe if you have uncontrolled diabetes, where you are less able to fight any infections, including those affecting your mouth.
Which Dental Problems Are Associated with Diabetes?
Problems that can be exacerbated by diabetes include:
Tooth Decay
Everybody knows that consuming sugary foods increases the risk of cavities. The sugars feed harmful bacteria found in plaque. These bacteria attack and weaken tooth enamel, eventually breaking through the enamel and causing cavities.
When people have diabetes, they tend to have more glucose or sugar in their saliva. The glucose allows harmful bacteria to thrive, increasing the risk of cavities.
Gum Disease
Gum disease is a common problem in which the gum tissue and other structures around your teeth become inflamed and infected by bacteria in dental plaque. The infection and inflammation cause your gums to bleed, allowing these bacteria to enter your bloodstream.
Once these bacteria are in your blood, they can create new sites of inflammation in your body. This can make it harder for people with diabetes to control their blood sugar levels successfully. Having gum disease in Newcastle can worsen diabetes or increase the risk of developing this condition.
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, then it’s even more important to look after your gum health and take steps to lower your risk of gum disease.
Slow Healing
Uncontrolled diabetes makes it harder to heal after oral surgery in Clarington, potentially increasing the risk of infection. However, if you have well-controlled diabetes, then your ability to heal after surgery should be similar to someone without diabetes.
Dry Mouth
Dry mouth, where you cannot produce enough saliva, is a condition called xerostomia. Without enough saliva, your mouth can feel more uncomfortable, and the risk of dental problems like cavities and gum disease is higher.
People with diabetes are more likely to have xerostomia, and it’s also a frequent side effect of medications.
How to Maintain Good Dental Health with Diabetes
If you have diabetes, please let us know when you visit us for a dental checkup in Courtice. There are many ways we can help you maintain optimal oral health. One of the most important is to try to control your blood sugar levels as much as possible. If you are having difficulty, then discuss this with your GP so they can help you.
In addition to looking after your teeth by brushing twice daily and flossing every day, we suggest you come and see us regularly for checkups and dental cleanings. Sometimes, someone with diabetes may benefit from more frequent hygiene appointments. Removing all plaque and tartar buildup removes the bacteria that cause dental disease, helping you maintain a healthy mouth more easily.
If you have problems like dry mouth, we can suggest ways to manage this condition. We may prescribe artificial saliva, or you can purchase something over the counter. Other tips include sipping water frequently, chewing on sugar-free candies or chewing sugar-free gum or sucking on ice chips.
