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At the Dentist

O

Outlier

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,104
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Saw the dental hygienist today, and she said my teeth were the best they'd ever been in terms of no gum bleeding (even though I take blood thinners) and very little plaque. This is since my T2 diagnosis and subsequent keto diet. She was very interested, and when I asked if it was possible within professional considerations to mention to patients with serious plaque and badly bleeding gums that a blood glucose test might be useful, she said it could be done, and that in fact the practice staff had recently been discussing diabetes and if there was a relationship with mouth health. I have always taken care to clean my teeth properly, but until my lifestyle change following T2 diagnosis I was still getting bleeding gums and a lot of plaque and had to be seen every 3 months. Now it's every 6 months.

Interesting, I think.
 
The '2-way street' between oral health and diabetes seldom gets a mention in the ✻self-help✻ books ..so it's nice that it's being being aired here in the public domain ..I too have regular dental checkups followed by appointments for special cleaning with the hygienist ..the cash saved via a valid MEDEX for just a month's worth of meds ..covers what I have to fork out.
 
Thank you for this - both MrsA and I have separately been praised by the dentist recently for having our teeth in such good shape - neither of us have done anything special with our teeth over the last few years.... apart from my keto and Mrs A's semi-low carb eating.
 
This MrsA2 () agrees. But I think it comes down to sugar and carb consumption, regardless of whether one has been diagnosed with diabetes or not.
I have had terrible teeth since in utero due to Mum being given wrong drugs.
Now, 6 decades later they are best they've ever been because, imho, I've cut the sugars in my mouth. I have a partial plate and on the rare days I have something carby or sugary it takes an awful lot more cleaning than on a low carb day. I can feel the sugars on it. It scares me how much has been hanging around between cleans.
 
Hopeful34 said:
'd be very concerned that your practice didn't already know that, as different dentists I've seen have all mentioned it for decades!
Click to expand...

Interesting how we all have different experiences. None of my dentists or dental hygienists, NHS or private, has ever mentioned diabetes. For most of my life, dental plaque was not an issue and nor were bleeding gums, but about 20 years ago, things changed. Not a great deal of notice appeared to be taken - just a scrape and some bleeding at each visit - apart from the odd practitioner who went down the 'it's your fault for not cleaning your teeth properly' routine (rather like school, being berated for 'not trying hard enough') and one who insisted that I was eating too many sweets and having sweet drinks when (as a lifetime dieter) I didn't have either. He didn't actually say "lying moo" but wasn't benign in his expression. That was the last time I attended that practice.
My current hygienist is very good, and I was pleased she entered into the discussion, though for her it was clearly a new take on the plaque and bleeding gums/diabetes interface.
 
That's fantastic news about your improved dental health since starting the keto diet! It's great to hear that your dental hygienist was interested and impressed with your progress.
 
I like to add a bit of balance.
I do not eat a reduced carb diet and never have.
After nearly 20 years since my diagnosis, I have no diabetes complications and my teeth are always complemented by the dentist. Although I have never eaten a sugary diet, I believe my dental health is down to good cleaning regime and diabetes management rather than diet.
I appreciate a low carb diet is one way of managing diabetes but it is not the only way for healthy teeth with diabetes.
 

For those in active diabetes, not relying or supported by blood sugar reversing medications it is a huge factor in their overall health, so I do believe for some people diet is a much greater factor in both their dental and general health.
 
AndBreathe said:
For those in active diabetes, not relying or supported by blood sugar reversing medications it is a huge factor in their overall health, so I do believe for some people diet is a much greater factor in both their dental and general health.
Click to expand...
Is that because they use diet to manage their diabetes as I use insulin?
But, as I said, I wanted to include balance that the keto way is not the only way to good dental health with diabetes.
 
And I add balance by stressing that we are all different, for some of us diet made a huge difference, and my previous mouth issues were nothing to do with a "bad" cleaning regime. Nothing has changed between then and now except getting my blood glucose down to non-diabetic levels.
 
Yes, my experience is the same as yours. Nothing changed except my diet and my gums didn't bleed at all and no plaque when I changed to low carb. The hygienist was so impressed that she switched to low carb too, even though she isn't diabetic. I'm a bit jealous of her weight loss.
 
In Response said:
Is that because they use diet to manage their diabetes as I use insulin?
But, as I said, I wanted to include balance that the keto way is not the only way to good dental health with diabetes.
Click to expand...
I don’t think anyone said it was the only, one true way.
 
The point I made - sorry if it isn't as understandable as I intended - is that dental issues such as increasing plaque levels and/or bleeding gums, despite good oral hygiene, can be an early indicator of raised BG, even if not yet at diabetic levels. Treating those raised levels by any means at all then results in less/no plaque and bleeding. Therefore dental staff who are aware of this can offer a vital diagnostic stage for what would otherwise become diabetes.
 
This is an interesting read

Diabetes, Gum Disease, & Other Dental Problems - NIDDK

Learn how diabetes is linked to gum disease and other mouth problems, and read how to prevent and treat mouth problems related to diabetes.
www.niddk.nih.gov

There is a strong, very well known link between diabetes and dental/oral health.
(I can remember some members arriving on the forum after their dentist was concerned enough about their mouth condition to refer them to a doctor for a diabetes test).

no amount of scrupulous hygiene is going to combat high blood glucose, sugar in the saliva, a tendency to infection, and deteriorating bone and gums around the roots of the teeth - as can happen with type 2s who may go years (even decades) with undiagnosed diabetes, or anyone with too high glucose levels.

Excellent nutrition helps improve mouth health too of course - which is also easily achieved on a low carb, sufficient protein and healthy fat way of eating.

7 vitamins and minerals your mouth needs

The vitamins and minerals in your food can help your body maintain your healthy mouth.
www1.deltadentalins.com

I mean, how many of us know that vits D and K, and potassium are important for dental health?
most ppl know about vit C, and maybe calcium, but the others…?

I did a Google for ‘carb intake mouth health’ and was presented with pages of links, mainly for dental websites, advocating cutting carbs, expecially the processed ones.

this article is a typical example (Incl the comment at the end to keep getting your teeth checked regularly Which supports your friendly dentist’s profit margin )

How a Low-Carb Diet May Affect Your Oral Health

Are you looking for a friendly,affordable dental clinic in Baton Rouge, LA? Contact Rabel Family Dentistry for an experience that will leave you smiling!
www.rabelfamilydentistry.com
 
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