What To Know About Diabetes and Oral Health

You may not be thinking about your teeth when you get diabetes diagnosis. However oral health is an essential part of diabetes management. Diabetes oral health is particularly important because having high blood sugar can weaken white blood cells. They are important for fighting infections that start in the mouth.

Diabetes oral health problems

Having diabetes increases your risk of early-stage gum disease or gingivitis and periodontitis, which is advanced gum disease. Both oral health diseases start with plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on your teeth. While it is normal to produce plaque, you need to remove it through daily brushing and flossing and routine dental cleanings to avoid gum disease.

Having bacteria in your mouth is not unique to those with diabetes. However, when you have diabetes the inflammatory response to bacteria is greater, which eventually can result in loss of tissue that holds teeth in place. Even if periodontal disease does not progress to tooth loss, it can cause pain, persistent bad breath, and difficulty chewing food. Diabetes also can slow healing, making it more difficult to treat periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is just one of the diabetes oral health problems. Another is dry mouth. It could stem from aging or medication, but it is also one of the diabetes oral health complications. Diabetes and some medicines used to treat the disease can cause the salivary glands in your mouth to make less saliva. Because of a lack of saliva, food debris, sugar, acid, and bacteria are not as easily washed away.  Dry mouth can result in soreness, ulcers, infections, and tooth decay.

Another one of the diabetes oral health complications is thrush, which is a yeast (fungal) infection. Diabetes can cause the level of glucose in your saliva to increase. Yeast thrives on the extra sugar and dry mouth helps the yeast take hold. Signs of oral thrush include:[1]

·         Pain in the mouth and throat

·         White patches on the tongue, inside the cheeks and on the roof of the mouth

·         Redness or bleeding inside the mouth

·         Bitter taste or loss of taste

·         Cracks in the lips or corners of the mouth

Burning mouth syndrome also is a diabetes oral health complication. Uncontrolled blood glucose levels inside your mouth can cause a burning feeling.

Smoking can exacerbate diabetes oral health problems. When you have diabetes, smoking increases your risk – up to twenty times – of developing periodontal disease and thrush. Smoking also seems to compromise blood flow to the gums. This might affect wound healing in the gum tissue area. [2]

Prevent diabetes oral health problems

To reduce the risk of diabetes oral health complications, manage your blood sugar level. Your daily care plan should include checking your blood sugar levels several times a day as directed by your doctor. Record the numbers and share the information with your dentist. Your dentist also wants to know if you have a history of low glucose levels while you were receiving dental treatment.

The American Diabetes Association recommends visiting your dentist twice a year, providing information on any changes in your health and current medications and dosages, which can affect oral health. [3] For example, if you need to take medication for an oral health infection, you might need to adjust your insulin dose.

If your gums are red, swollen or bleed easily, see your dentist as soon as possible. Acute infections should be treated right away. Also make sure your dentist has your doctor’s name and phone number should there be a need to call about questions or concerns.

Other steps to take:

Brush twice a day: When you brush use fluoride toothpaste. To be most effective, hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums and gently brush back and forth along the outer, inner and chewing surfaces of your teeth. It does not matter if you use a manual or electric toothbrush but use a brush with a size and shape that makes it easy to reach all areas. The goal is to clean each surface thoroughly. Also use a soft-bristled brush. Firm bristles can wear away tooth enamel. [4]

Floss once a day: Wind an 18-inch piece of floss around your middle fingers. Leave an inch or two of floss to work with. Hold the floss between your thumb and index fingers, curve it around each tooth in a C shape and slide it gently up and down the tooth and beneath the gum line. If you prefer, use an interdental device. [5]

Stop smoking: If you smoke, take steps to quit since smoking makes gum disease worse. Your physician or dentist can provide steps on how to quit. You can also call 1-800-quite now. It is a national portal to a network of the state quit lines that provide support – counseling, referrals to local programs, and free medication – to people who want to quit smoking.

Dentures: Contact your dentist if your dentures do not fit properly.

Get the most out of your dental appointment

You may need to change your dentist once you receive a diabetes diagnosis, since you want to work with someone who is aware of the needs of people with the disease. Whether you stay with your current dentist or find a new one, prior to the appointment eat as normal and take your medicines on their regular schedule.

Being proactive with your dentist during an appointment will ensure better outcome. Ask about the condition of your gums, for example is there a lot of bleeding during the cleaning. Find out what else you should be doing to make sure your teeth and gums stay healthy.

Keeping your mouth and teeth healthy when you have diabetes requires time and commitment. But preventing diabetes oral health problems is part of your diabetes management. Make sure you have the right dental team that is on board to work with you for the best outcomes.