Diabetes is a common yet serious problem that affects more than just your diet. It can also affect all parts of your mouth. Sometimes, even if the condition itself isn’t doing anything, its medication can adversely affect your teeth and gums as well.
Here’s how diabetes affects your teeth and what you need to do about it.
How Diabetes Affects The Teeth
When a person has diabetes, it means that their body isn’t able to efficiently process the sugar in the body. This leads to high blood sugar levels which can affect the eyes, kidneys, heart and much more.
For the mouth specifically, high blood sugar levels can be quite dangerous as it can lead to various dental problems. The excess sugar or glucose in the body can get mixed in with the saliva in the mouth.
As a result, the sugary saliva encourages the growth of harmful bacteria which causes gum diseases and tooth decay. Moreover, it also contributes to the buildup of plaque on the teeth, which can be further harmful and unsightly as well.
Besides that, what makes diabetes so dangerous for oral health is that it creates a vicious cycle. The high blood sugar can cause serious gum diseases, which in turn can cause poor sugar control in the body. Over time, if not treated properly, it can lead to diseases like gingivitis, periodontitis, dry mouth, and much more.
What Diabetics Need To Do
Since diabetics are more at risk of tooth decay, gum diseases, and other dental problems, good dental habits are of the utmost importance. They need to brush their teeth twice a day, floss, and rinse their mouth with an antiseptic mouthwash.
In addition to that, it is also super important to control blood sugar through a healthy diet and regular exercise.
Most importantly, they need to schedule regular visits with their dentist and let them know of their condition. If you have diabetes and are suffering from some oral problems, contact and at Carolina Smiles Family Dentistry to get your teeth checked right away.