Type 2 Diabetes and Gum disease

[Neverbloobloo]

I use an Oral B, got it from Boots the chemist, it has two types of cleaning action and gives an indication at 30, 60, 90 and 120 seconds. I think it was about £35 a couple of years ago and still going strong, I only charge it about once a week. Hope that helps.

Sorry I should have stated the obvious that you do need to replace the brush heads from time to time just like a normal brush, look out for bargain offers, as sometimes you can get them really cheaply.

 

[lessci]

Another vote for interdental brushes, I'm currently undergoing a course of treatment at the local dental hospital, as if the pockets are above a certain depth even perfect dental hygiene doesn't work, only a deep clean does the trick. I've also invested in a water floss er which seems to be helping

 

[catherinecherub]

I use interdental brushes and an electric toothbrush as this was the advice I was given by my dentist. Although I have not required treatment this is the routine I use as he is of the opinion that diabetics need to do the best they can to prevent problems.

I had a dental implant last year following a fall that damaged my tooth beyond repair and have had no problems with it to date. It was expensive but depending on the condition of your gums this is not something that is always possible.

 

[Indy51]

I find using a water pick/air floss is much easier than flossing and apparently they're more efficient too. They're quite a hefty investment though.

 

[Dazedandconfused1]

Hi I'm newly diagnosed type 2 who fortunately has a dentist who is type 2. I have been to see him today he advised never ever brush too hard as it aggravates the gums and will make it worse. He also said not to use mouth wash but I think that was more to do with the fact that I have Oral Lichen Planus!! I have an electric Oral B which flashes red when you apply too much pressure. Also use interdental so.

 

[Diligent500]

Hi to all,

As I am type 2 diabetic I brush my teeth with a electric toothbrush n my teeth bleed and at the back of them the other day it was a top tooth it happened to.

What do I do to stop it happening?

Diligent500.

 

[ShugaShuga]

BG = blood glucose (sorry)

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-complications/gum-disease.html

Thanks for the link. It is so annoying that this aspect of diabetic problems is not more widely publicised. As I and others have said, I only found out a couple of months ago.

 

[ShugaShuga]

Hi I'm newly diagnosed type 2 who fortunately has a dentist who is type 2. I have been to see him today he advised never ever brush too hard as it aggravates the gums and will make it worse. He also said not to use mouth wash but I think that was more to do with the fact that I have Oral Lichen Planus!! I have an electric Oral B which flashes red when you apply too much pressure. Also use interdental so.

I reckon a Diabetes 2 dentist must know what he's talking about. 'Wonder where I can find one?
So brushing hard is out, as advised by an number of contributors.
'Never heard of Oral Lichen Planus. However, I did some browsing and found :-
"Avoid spicy, acidic or salty foods if these make your mouth sore."
Sounds/feels familiar. My gums seem to have become sensitive to these over the last month or so. I ate an orange and an apple yesterday and my gums were stinging for hours. Same thing happens if I drink a beer now. I have recently had some extractions and have been using warm water and salt as a mouth wash. The extraction sites are on the right side, the sensitivity seems confined to the left, but if some of the salt gets over to the left, then I get a painful few hours. The gums (top and bottom) on the left feel rough to my tongue. A new dentist noticed some papules (little blister-like things) on the back of my tongue which seemed a bit larger than average. Pictures of these have been sent to the local dental hospital. Hmmmm!

 

[ShugaShuga]

I use an Oral B, got it from Boots the chemist, it has two types of cleaning action and gives an indication at 30, 60, 90 and 120 seconds. I think it was about £35 a couple of years ago and still going strong, I only charge it about once a week. Hope that helps.

Thanks. A few people have mentioned Oral B electrics. Is it one of the round-headed ones or the long (like a manual) headed ones?

 

[catherinecherub]

This article about teeth and diabetes is worth reading, includes a slideshow that lists common problems.

http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/dental-health-dental-care-diabetes#1

 

[ShugaShuga]

This article about teeth and diabetes is worth reading, includes a slideshow that lists common problems.

http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/dental-health-dental-care-diabetes#1

Thanks. Some of these look gruesome, but the message that oral cancer is treatable and curable, if caught in time, is reassuring.

 

[2131tom]

I went through a phase of sensitive gums, near the back - turned out I was brushing too hard, and irritating that area. It was the way I was holding the toothbrush. Changed my grip, changed to a sonic toothbrush, didn't press so hard, and problem disappeared.

100% in agreement with all that. I had a similar problem 2 years ago but a new dentist sorted me out by telling me how to brush effectively. 2 mins brushing, twice a day: First v gently onto the face of the teeth and then over the crowns and finally on the gum line, with the bristles inclined slightly down towards the gums (to get at the plaque that builds up on the gum line). After a couple of weeks bleeding stopped after brushing and I could actually feel that my teeth were being held more strongly in the gums (peculiar, I know, but it's true). I also stopped getting things (seeds, bits of crisp etc.) stuck down below the gums, which had become a progressively increasing issue before.

I changed my toothpaste to Oral B Pro Expert and my toothbrush is electric but I do change the heads quite frequently now which I think helps a bit.

 

[BhaviniMistry]

Dental help

 

[ShugaShuga]

I reckon a Diabetes 2 dentist must know what he's talking about. 'Wonder where I can find one?
So brushing hard is out, as advised by an number of contributors.
'Never heard of Oral Lichen Planus. However, I did some browsing and found :-
"Avoid spicy, acidic or salty foods if these make your mouth sore."
Sounds/feels familiar. My gums seem to have become sensitive to these over the last month or so. I ate an orange and an apple yesterday and my gums were stinging for hours. Same thing happens if I drink a beer now. I have recently had some extractions and have been using warm water and salt as a mouth wash. The extraction sites are on the right side, the sensitivity seems confined to the left, but if some of the salt gets over to the left, then I get a painful few hours. The gums (top and bottom) on the left feel rough to my tongue. A new dentist noticed some papules (little blister-like things) on the back of my tongue which seemed a bit larger than average. Pictures of these have been sent to the local dental hospital. Hmmmm!

Finally attended Liverpool Dental Hospital on Tue 22/12/15. The person I saw had no idea what was causing my problem. He said that he was a dental surgeon and did teeth not gums. Having said that, I got the wrap-around x-ray and he checked my tongue and throat but just couldn't see anything that might be causing my burning gums and aching teeth. He said that I should ask to be referred to a "Dental Chemist" - at least that's what I think he said. Has anybody heard of such people? Dazedandconfused1 mentioned Oral Lichen Planus. If they read this, how did they find out they had it? Who made the diagnosis? Is this the person who would take a skin sample from the gum? This seems like the kind of person that I should be referred to. But, who are they and how do I get to see them?

 

[knackered]

Something that worked for me was to literally 'grout' the teeth around the sore spot with toothpaste after thoroughly cleaning and rinsing. This sits there for quite a while before disolving away, especially at night and is less agressive than mouthwash.