Diabetes and Oral Health
Diabetes can affect your oral health
Oral health is one unexpected complication due to diabetes, with gum disease more likely amongst those with the condition. Gum disease can become serious due to diabetes, ruining oral health and becoming a major diabetes complication.
What is the relationship between diabetes and oral health?
Research indicates that serious gum disease and diabetes have a two-way relationship. People with diabetes are more likely to face serious oral health problems, and gum disease can also influence blood sugar control and worsen diabetes management.
What oral health problems affect people with diabetes?
Research indicates that people with diabetes face a higher risk of oral health problems such as gingivitis or periodontitis.
Furthermore, diabetics may have a lower ability to fight bacteria that cause gum disease. Because oral health is essential for general health, people with diabetes should brush and floss properly.
What are the symptoms of oral health problems?
- Sore or swollen gums
- Bleeding gums
- Receding gums
- Loose teeth
- Bad breath
I am diabetic, do I have a greater oral health risk?
Poor blood glucose control increases the likelihood of severe gum disease and oral health problems. Other oral health problems that have been associated with diabetes include thrush and dry mouth.
People with diabetes do face a greater oral health risk, but there are ways to lower the chance of oral health problems.
How can I prevent dental problems associated with diabetes?
Control blood glucose levels, take good care of teeth and gums, avoid smoking. Also, visit your dentist regularly (at least every six months) for a checkup. When you go to your dentist, be sure to make him or her aware that you have diabetes.
Keep your dentist aware of changes in your condition. Brush and floss your teeth every day.
What the community is saying about oral health
- Synonym: Dentistry of any kind was never mentioned to me. As for information at diagnosis it was almost non-existent with a booklet being handed over and that was it.
- Jopar: Dental health isn't a part of diabetic care within the NHS... Like everybody else, it is your responsibility, to arrange for your own dental care either from a NHS dentist, if you can find one to register to (and they still charge) or private dentist practice, easier to find but costs a fortune...
- Neysa62: I was given no help from my GP, just a diagnosis and some tablets - my first hypo was a bit of a shock! I only found out gum problems was a complication of diabetes when I attended a course on managing type 2 diabetes a couple of months ago - 10 years after I was diagnosed! I must be prone to it as in spite of regular check-ups and good hygiene I have lost most of my back teeth
- Fergus: Gum problems are a fairly typical symptom of abnormal blood glucose levels, as of course is peripheral neuropathy.
- Hlw: A few months ago I had some bleeding + swelling on part of my gums, I rang NHS direct and when I told them I had diabetes (and wasn't registered with a dentist in the place I was staying) they told me to make an emergency appt.
