Poor oral health can make your diabetes more difficult to control. Infections may cause your blood sugar to rise and require more insulin to keep it under control. Improve your chances of keeping sound teeth and a healthy mouth - be aware of potential oral complications, keep your teeth and gums clean, and maintain good control of your diabetes.
Tooth and gum damage
Diabetes may cause tooth loss. Day by day, high blood sugar caused by diabetes can contribute to accumulating damage to your gums and teeth, which may cause tooth loss.
Plaque: How diabetes feeds this cavity
An invisible film of bacteria, saliva and food particles (dental plaque) normally cover teeth. The bacteria feed on the sugars and starches in the foods and beverages you consume and produce acids that damage the hard enamel (hardest substance of the body) coating of your teeth. High blood sugar levels in diabetes give the bacteria a greater supply of food, allowing them to produce even more acid. The damage from this acid increases the possibility of tooth decay (cavities).
Tartar irritates the gums, causing a condition called gingivitis. This makes the gums tender, swollen and red, and they may bleed when you brush your teeth. Fortunately, your dentist can prevent or treat gingivitis by removing tartar during a routine dental cleaning.
Diabetes and swollen or bleeding gums
Gingivitis and periodontitis are the most common oral complications of diabetes. If you have type 2 diabetes, you are three times more likely to develop gum disease than someone who does not have diabetes. Diabetes lowers your body’s resistance to infections and slows your ability to heal. Gum disease generally does not hurt. You may have it for years and years before you feel discomfort. Do not wait until you feel the pain.
Everyone is susceptible to gingivitis, and the most common contributing factor is a long-standing lack of attention to proper oral hygiene. But other factors also can increase your risk. People with uncontrolled or poorly controlled diabetes are more susceptible to gum disease. Diabetes may result in your blood vessels thickening, making them less able to carry nutrients to your gum tissue and to remove waste products. This can leave your gums less healthy and more prone to infection.
Treatment
Gingivitis usually clears up after a professional cleaning by a dentist followed by proper daily oral hygiene. The cleaning involves the removal of all tartar and plaque from your teeth. If gingivitis has progressed to periodontitis, you will need more extensive treatment. The best way to prevent gingivitis is to exercise good dental hygiene. This includes regular brushing and flossing (cleaning interdental space) of your teeth and periodic professional cleaning to prevent buildup of plaque and tartar.