You may have heard that the health of your mouth, teeth, and gums can reveal symptoms of other many other health issues.
In the past, we\’ve talked about the connection between gum disease and heart disease. We\’ve also talked about symptoms such as sleep apnea, TMJ headaches, and dry mouth.
Recently there have been stories in the news about the possible connection between gum disease and diabetes. We\’re going to discuss some of the main points that you should understand. If you have further questions, you should schedule an appointment with your doctor.
Diabetes effects more than 420 million people worldwide. Type 1 diabetes is genetic, so people are born with it, but type 2 diabetes can come on at any point in your life.
Many people are still not aware of the connection between diabetes and gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis, a severe form of gum disease.
Related: What are the types of gum disease?
The connection between gum disease and diabetes
Research shows that there is an increased prevalence of gum disease among those with diabetes. Periodontitis is caused by bacteria and people with it will suffer from local inflammation triggered by those bacteria.
People with diabetes are at an increased risk for serious gum disease because they more susceptible to bacterial infection, with a decreased ability to fight bacteria that invade the gums.
The good news is that gum disease does not cause diabetes.
Gum disease is often a symptom of diabetes, though, so if you are affected by periodontal disease, be sure to visit your medical doctor to make sure it is not a symptom a more serious health problem.
Related: What are the signs of gum disease?
Tips for diabetes patients to prevent gum disease
- Monitor and control your blood glucose.
- Brush and floss every day. You are doing that already, right?
- Visit your dentist twice a year. Let your dentist know that you have diabetes so they can watch for symptoms.
- Tell your dentist if your gums are sore.
- Tell your dentist if your dentures no longer fit correctly.
- If you smoke cigarettes, you should quit because they increase the risks of gum disease.
Do you suspect you have gum disease or may need treatment for periodontal gum disease?
You can schedule a consultation with Dr Wilhite to discuss your goals, options, pricing, financing, and other information.
Call us at (972) 964-3774