The Threat to Oral Health by Diabetes

The risk of gum disease and tooth decay is higher in diabetics with fluctuating blood glucose levels than in non-diabetics. What are the threats to oral health?

Although everyone should practise good dental hygiene, people with high blood sugar may have more difficulty doing so. Learn how to avoid dental health problems while keeping a smile on your face if you have diabetes. It even has an impact on your self-esteem. Taking good care of your mouth is crucial for overall health and well-being. Good oral hygiene practices can aid in preventing tooth and gum disease-related discomfort and infections.

Taking care of your teeth is especially crucial if you have diabetes. White blood cells might get weakened by high blood sugar. These are your body's primary defences against infections that might develop in the mouth. However, keep that smile on your face. By controlling your diabetes, you help avoid gum disease and other oral infections in addition to controlling your blood sugar levels.

Why are dental health issues more common in diabetes patients?

High blood sugar is the relationship between dental health issues and diabetes. Poor blood sugar management increases the risk of dental health issues. Because uncontrolled diabetes impairs white blood cells, the body's primary line of defence against bacterial infections that might develop in the mouth, these illnesses are more likely to arise.

Similar to how regulating blood sugar levels reduces the chance of significant organ difficulties associated with diabetes, such as damage to the heart, eyes, and nerves, diabetes can also guard against the emergence of dental health issues.

 

What issues with oral health are related to diabetes?

Diabetes patients are more likely to:

Dry mouth: If diabetes is not managed, the flow of saliva might be reduced, which can cause a dry mouth. Additionally, pain, ulcers, infections, and tooth damage can result from dry mouth.

Periodontitis and gum inflammation (gingivitis): Diabetes also impairs white blood cells by thickening blood vessels, which is another consequence. The movement of nutrients into and waste out of body tissues, including the mouth, is slowed as a result. This series of events reduces the body's capacity to fight infections. People with uncontrolled diabetes may have periodontal disease more frequently and with more severe symptoms because it is a bacterial infection.

Poor oral tissue healing: People with uncontrolled diabetes heal slowly following oral surgery or other dental procedures because the blood supply to the treatment site can be compromised.

Thrush: People with diabetes are particularly prone to acquiring a fungal infection of the mouth and tongue if they frequently take antibiotics to treat different infections. The high glucose levels in uncontrolled diabetics' saliva provide a food source for the fungus. Dentures can also cause fungus infections, especially if they are worn all the time.

Burning mouth or tongue: Thrush infection is the reason for your mouth or tongue to be burning.

Smoking increases the chance of developing periodontal disease and thrush in people with diabetes by up to 20 times compared to non-smokers. Smoking also appears to reduce blood flow to the gums, which could have an impact on how well this tissue area heals from wounds.

Treatment

What issue you have will determine your treatment. People with periodontal disease will need to see a dentist for treatment, who may recommend a periodontist for gum surgery or perform a deep cleaning on your teeth. The dentist may also recommend a unique mouthwash.

A medication to kill the fungus that causes thrush may be prescribed by a dentist or physician to treat its symptoms. To clean your dentures, you might also require a particular solution. A doctor or dentist may prescribe a drug to keep your mouth moist if you have a dry mouth.

Advice on maintaining good oral health for diabetics

By using the following advice, people with diabetes might lessen or avoid some of the above-mentioned oral health issues:

·       Try to keep your blood sugar levels as close to normal as you can.

·       At every session, inform your dentist about any episodes you've had with diabetes and the time you last took an insulin dose (if applicable)

·       Before scheduling treatment for gum disease, speak with your doctor since you might need to adjust your diet or take pre-surgical antibiotics.

·       At least twice a year, visit the dentist to examine your teeth and gums.

·       To prevent dry mouth, drink plenty of water and chew sugar-free gum.

·       Follow your doctor's advice regarding nutrition and medication.

·       In case you are a smoker, talk to your doctor about giving up.

Conclusion

When it comes down to it, good oral health supports effective diabetes treatment. Oral care makes sense as the greatest and simplest strategy to help support your teeth and control your diabetes once you realize the connection between diabetes and a condition like periodontitis and how they both influence the complete body. 

You have everything you need to take care of your oral health at home with the proper brush, toothpaste, rinse, floss, and items for interdental care. It is a recipe for enhanced overall body health when used in conjunction with proper glycaemic control and diabetes treatment.