One question that most diabetic patients ask is, “how does diabetes affect oral health? Let’s discuss the oral health issues diabetes can cause.
High blood sugar can cause diabetes & poor oral health. Since bacteria feed on sugar, people suffering from this condition have a higher risk of dental issues. Those who eat sugary foods also have a high risk of developing tooth decay and gum disease.
How Does Diabetes Affect Oral Health?
Diabetes makes recovery slow and forces the body to have a difficult time-fighting infection. It causes infections, like gum disease that become more intense than in individuals that don’t have diabetes. Precise to oral health issues & diabetes reduces the amount of saliva your body produces, which increases the amount of sugar in your saliva. It is damaging because saliva protects the teeth and gums to fight decay and break down unseeable food particles. Without adequate saliva and too much sugar, diabetes creates an atmosphere where infections and decay can thrive. But gum disease isn’t the only problem diabetics have to stress about when it comes to oral health, several other oral health issues also arise from diabetes.
Oral Health Conditions Diabetes Can Cause
Elevated Risk Of Gum Disease
The risk of gum disease is higher for individuals with diabetes because diabetes can deplete the immune system and lower your body’s capacity to fight harmful bacteria. This bacteria builds plaque that creeps under your gum line and becomes tartar. In the early stages of gum infection, this results in puffy gums and a tendency to bleed readily.
If you are active with brushing and flossing, you can lower the side effects of gum disease. However, this is crucial for people with diabetes as they are already at a risk.
Development Of Periodontitis
Advanced gum disease, also called periodontitis, can negatively affect the structures that sustain your teeth, including the soft tissue and bone. With sufficient time, periodontitis could drive your blood sugar levels to rise, and your teeth could finally fall out.
Since periodontitis is a severe condition, and individuals with diabetes already have issues healing from infections, you must take care of inflamed gums before advanced gum disease develops.
Dry Mouth
Diabetes can also result in dry mouth or xerostomia. Saliva keeps dangerous germs at bay, and a lack of it can raise your risk for cavities. This disease can grow as a result of either Type I or Type II diabetes, and treating dry mouth before it contributes to tooth decay is necessary.
You can treat dry mouth with several solutions, including drinking more water or using chewing gum and hard candies to boost saliva production.
Oral Thrush
Usually, it is called oral candidiasis, it’s a yeast infection that yields white patches, redness, and bleeding in the mouth as well as cracks at the corners of the lips. You may get a bitter & nasty taste. It is also possible to give thrush to somebody else, so it is vital to treat it so that others avoid experiencing these distressing symptoms.
Thrush may occur if you have problems controlling your blood glucose levels & keep it under control. Also, thrush may grow along with dry mouth in people with diabetes, and while rare episodes of thrush are common, it is better to avoid infection completely, if possible.
Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS)
Often defined as a burning sensation in the tongue, mouth roof, gums, cheeks, and back of the throat, this unfortunate condition isn’t completely understood. However, studies have found burning mouth syndrome is more typical in diabetics than in the general population.
Bad Breath
It is essential to take an active role in your healthcare, particularly if you have a condition like diabetes that can contribute to or adversely impact other parts of your life.
Book A Consultation With Dental Expert In Houston
If you are a diabetic and experiencing signs of gum disease or other oral health issues, schedule a dental appointment with one of our experienced oral health specialists in Houston. Contact us today & schedule your consultation.
