Diabetes is a disease running rampant through our society and along with a myriad of health effects from blindness to organ failure, people often forget that it can impact your teeth as well. Diabetes is when your body is unable to process sugar effectively and is associated with insulin resistance. The most common type of diabetes is Type II diabetes and can accelerated by obesity and other factors.
It Can Increase Risk of Gum Disease
Gum disease is no small matter and diabetes can actually increase your risk of gingivitis and periodontitis. The lesser of the issues is gingivitis, commonly associated with bleeding and swollen gums. Diabetes lessens the blood flow to the gums as well as decreases the body’s ability to fight off infection. If gum disease goes untreated, then it can lead to the more serious periodontitis. This is an infection that can cause your teeth to loosen and fall out because the gums recede and jawbone to pull away from teeth.
Are You Thirsty All the Time
One of the known symptoms of diabetes is dry mouth. It reduces the amount of saliva created by your mouth and makes you feel thirsty all the time. Saliva is one of the ways the body protects tooth enamel by removing plaque, tarter and other contaminants from your teeth. If you experience dry mouth, then you can help stimulate saliva production by chewing sugar free gum. Dry mouth is more than just an annoyance and can lead to difficulty chewing and swallowing and cracked painful lips.
Taking Care of Your Teeth When Dealing With Diabetes
If you’re worried about your teeth, then make sure you take care of them. We suggest brushing twice a day to keep plaque in check. You can also stay away from sugary foods (which aren’t good for teeth and even worse with diabetes) and foods low on the glycemic index. This not only helps your teeth, but also general diabetes health. You should also tell your dentist if you have a diabetes diagnosis. We can make sure it’s not having a negative impact on your teeth and if it is, we can take care of it right away.
If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes and are worried about its impact on your teeth, then contact Dr. Ed and setup an appointment for your tooth health.