Diabetes and Oral Heath Care

The theme of World Health Day 2016, on 7th April, is to increase the awareness of the rise in diabetes and its consequences.

For people with diabetes one of these consequences can be problems with teeth and gums.  Therefore it is very important if you are a diabetes sufferer that you follow a very thorough programme of oral care at home and that you visit your dentist regularly.

The number of people living with diabetes has almost quadrupled since 1980.

Common oral health care problems that are linked to diabetes include; tooth decay, periodontal or gum disease, dry mouth, infections.

• Mouth bacteria thrive on sugar, high blood glucose levels can also result in more glucose in your saliva meaning that diabetes sufferers can experience a higher level of plaque.  A build-up of bacteria and plaque can mean tooth decay and gum disease.
• Diabetes can reduce the body’s resistance to infection and slows down the healing process making diabetes sufferers more prone to gum disease.
• A dry mouth is a side effect of diabetes and that can increase the levels of bacteria in the mouth as saliva acts to wash away these bacteria.  Also constant dryness will irritate the soft tissues in the mouth making them painful and inflamed.
• A lack of saliva in the mouth and increased blood sugar levels can also lead to the candidiasis infection (more commonly known as Thrush).

A few simple steps can make all the difference in combatting these side effects and keeping your mouth and teeth healthy

• Avoid sugary foods and drinks.
• Brush your teeth regularly.
• Drink water to wash away food debris and keep your mouth moist.  Sucking ice cubes can also help to produce saliva.
• People with good diabetes control have a better chance of combating infections than those who don’t.

Regular dental check-ups and periodontal examinations are very important for people with diabetes

• Controlling your diabetes is extremely important, so book appointments that don’t clash with mealtimes.
• Remember that quite often after dental treatment it may be difficult to eat and chew so factor this in.
• You may find that you heal more slowly after dental surgery so always discuss this with your dentist.
• Inform your dentist that you have diabetes and tell them about any medication that you are on.

If you would like to book an appointment at Smile Concepts for a routine check-up or to discuss your diabetes with us then please get in touch or call us on 0121 705 2705.

Additional information

• New Year’s dental health resolutions, SmileConcepts Dentistry Blog, January 2016.
• Global report on diabetes., WHO, 2016.
• Worldwide trends in diabetes since 1980, The Lancet, 2016.