Complications of Periodontal Treatment for Diabetes Patients

What Is Periodontal Disease?

It is a broad term referring to the infection and damage of the gum tissue. Many people know about the initial stage of gum disease called gingivitis, an infection in your gums that causes swelling, redness, and pain when you chew. However, since it often goes untreated, gingivitis usually advances to a more severe illness called periodontitis. In dentistry, you should be very alarmed when diagnosed with periodontitis because of its severity. The infection can cause severe tooth loss due to a weakened support system. You will experience significant bone tissue loss and gum recession in the area of infection. Therefore, you must be keen to seek treatment for gingival disease early before you incur irreversible dental issues. Part of needing treatment is understanding the underlying causes of your infection.

What Causes Periodontal Disease?

Most gum infections result from bacteria overgrowth in the mouth. The primary and most common cause of gum disease is poor oral hygiene. If you are not keen to brush your teeth and floss daily, you will have plaque and tartar on various teeth’ surfaces. The result is an infection of your gums. However, other than poor oral hygiene, you can have gum disease due to the following factors:

1. Genetics
2. Hormonal changes – particularly during pregnancy
3. Underlying health problems – like diabetes

What Is the Connection Between Gum Disease and Diabetes?

Generally, medical experts have concluded that diabetic patients are more susceptible to infections in their bodies than healthy patients. That alone is enough of a reason to exploit the relationship between diabetes and oral infections. Therefore, if you are diabetic and have not managed the illness, you are at a high risk of developing periodontal diseases. All diabetic patients should schedule regular appointments with a Midtown dentist in NYC to keep their oral health in check. It is especially crucial with gum disease since it is a progressive condition that can worsen with time.

Complications of Periodontal Treatment for Diabetes Patients

To understand the connection between diabetes and oral infections, understand the following complications that diabetes introduces in your body:

1. Diabetes is characterized by too much glucose in the blood (high blood sugar).
2. Patients with Type II diabetes cannot control the insulin levels in their bodies. It means that the sugar continues to stay in the bloodstream.
3. Type I diabetics do not produce any insulin, meaning their blood sugar is at critical levels.
4. When you have high blood sugar, your oral cavity interacts with higher-than-normal sugar levels for a prolonged period. It allows for bacteria overgrowth that causes periodontal infections and oral cavities.
5. Diabetes is also characterized by thick blood vessels. The thickness of the blood vessels makes the exchange of wastes and nutrients in your body difficult. As such, you retain a lot of toxins and wastes in different organs of your mouth, including your oral cavity.
6. Weakened immune system – when your body is busy battling diabetes, the last thing it needs is an infection in the mouth. Besides, even though you may have a high white blood cells count, the high sugar levels in your bloodstream weaken their reactivity. Even when you get gum surgery in NYC to treat your infection, your recovery will be slow and potentially gruesome.

What Can I Do to Prevent Gum Disease as A Diabetic Patient?

Since you have to live with diabetes, you must learn to manage your health around the disease. At FaktorDMD Cosmetic Dentistry & Implants – NYC, we advocate for preventive and proactive measures for preserving oral health. As a diabetic, you must be more cautious with oral habits, food choices, and lifestyle choices regarding your dental health. Some things you can do to prevent gum disease are:

1. Keep a clean mouth – maintain schedules and routines for brushing teeth and flossing. Add routine dental cleanings to your oral hygiene habits.
2. Quit smoking – smoking diabetics are at a greater risk of periodontitis than non-smokers. Tobacco will significantly slow your healing process even after periodontal treatment.
3. Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet – help strengthen your body’s immune system to fight against infections.
4. Stay hydrated – drinking a lot of water will help your body flush toxins from your system while neutralizing some of the sugars and acidity in your mouth.