The Correlation Between Diabetes and Your Oral Health

Too much blood sugar in your body can cause infection symptoms like pain, rushes, and other mouth problems. Parts of the mouth affected by diabetes-related issues are your teeth, the gums, jaws and soft tissues like your tongue, hard and soft palettes and inner cheeks.

Your saliva contains glucose too. So, when you have high glucose levels, it can provide an ample environment for the growth of bacteria. When they combine with food particles, they cause plaque, leading to gum problems and dental decay. Here are several ways diabetes affects your oral health.

How Blood Sugar Levels Impact Oral Health

If you have diabetes, it’s essential to beware of its complications. People with Type I and Type II diabetes all pay attention to their feet, eyes, but teeth and gums should be added to that list.

Why so? Diabetes patients are at a higher risk of getting infections. This is especially if they do not have their blood sugar levels under control. This is because too much sugar allows the growth of bacteria in the mouth—these bacteria mix with food particles, mostly sugary and starchy foods, forming plaque. If plaque isn’t removed, it hardens and forms tartar.

At this level, your teeth are at a higher risk of decay and other oral problems. However, visiting the dental clinic near you in time before the infections grow can treat them and rejuvenate your mouth.

Diabetes Can Cause or Worsen Oral Conditions

Gum Disease

People with diabetes are at higher risk of gum disease as diabetes weakens the body’s immune system and defences. Therefore, eh body cannot effectively fend off harmful bacteria, which causes tartar. The result is swollen and bleeding gums.

If you had existing gums, the repercussions of the infections are even worse. However, if you observe good oral hygiene like daily brushing and regular flossing, you can minimize the effects of gingivitis. Still, oral hygiene is important for people with diabetes since their condition is already a risk factor.

Periodontitis

This is an advanced gum disease and can worsen the supporting structures of your teeth. This includes the jawbone and soft tissues. In addition, with time, periodontitis can cause a spike in your overall body blood sugar levels, so your teeth eventually fall out.

Advanced gum disease is a serious disorder, and since people with diabetes have problems recovering from infections, it’s important to maintain swollen gums before the condition develops to periodontitis.

Dry Mouth

Diabetes also causes dry mouth, a condition called xerostomia. Saliva helps keep harmful microbes away, so if the mouth is dry, you risk developing cavities. Dry mouth can be caused by both Types I and Type II diabetes.

See the Factor DMD dentist in Manhattan, NYC, to treat dry mouth before cavities form. You can address a dry mouth in several ways, including more water intake, chewing gum, and eating hard candy for more saliva production.

Oral Thrush

Although Oral candidiasis is a yeast infection characterized by white patches, redness and bleeding mouth tissues. It also causes cracked lips in the corners. The mouth also turns bitter and nasty. Even more, thrush can be passed from one person to another, so it’s best to treat it to avoid contaminating others. Note that thrush can occur with dry mouth in people with diabetes.

Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS)

Diabetes can also cause BMS and is more common in 60-year-olds and above and is more frequent in women than in men. BMS causes a burning/tingling feeling in the mouth and sometimes pain.

Its diagnosis involves a skilled oral doctor examining your oral health, checking your medical history, and carrying out the necessary tests.

Bad Breath

Healthcare is important, especially for people with underlying conditions like diabetes, since these conditions negatively impact oral health. Bad breath is especially worsened by diabetes because of the high sugar levels in the blood and saliva.

How to Prevent Diabetes-Related Oral Problems

The best way to control oral conditions associated with diabetes is by controlling the disease. Your doctor can help you go through these steps to improve your health conditions and maintain diabetes. These steps include:

• Observing a healthy and balanced diet
• Exercising regularly
• Taking the proper medication prescribed by your doctor
• Monitoring your blood sugar levels ad the doctor instructs

Talk To Your Dentist

Making regular dental visits can help you maintain your oral health and minimize the risk of diabetes-related oral conditions. Visit the dental clinic near you at least twice a year to cleanse tartar buildup.

You should notify your dentist of your diabetes problem, so they check for early oral conditions related to diabetes. In addition, your dentist may recommend that you quit smoking and consuming highly sugary foods and starch.

Still, even with all the visits, always brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss at least once a day and regularly use fluoride mouthwashes.