As you may already know, November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. With a surprising percentage of the US population suffering from some form of diabetes, it’s a very good idea to spend a month giving this serious disease some extra attention. As a practice providing preventive and cosmetic dentistry in Raleigh, NC, we wanted to do our part to spread the word about diabetes as well, specifically concentrating on the links between diabetes and oral health. Those links are still being researched, and we have a lot of work to do yet before we understand them fully. But there are some facts that are clear at this point, and being aware of those facts can help you take care of not only your teeth, but your overall health as well.
Blood Sugar and Your Gums
Probably the clearest link between oral health and diabetes so far is the way the body’s blood sugar affects gum health. As you may have read in our last blogpost, the gums are the primary line of defense that keep bacteria and pathogen-carrying particles away from the vulnerable pulp of the teeth. If the body’s blood sugar control is erratic, that negatively affects the strength of the gums, making it easier for bacteria to attack them and spread infection.
Unfortunately, as any diabetic patient knows, any infection in the body negatively affects the body’s ability to control blood sugar as well. This cycle means that not only is it common for diabetic patients to suffer from gum disease, but those diseases also have the potential to exacerbate their diabetic condition. This situation makes it very important that those suffering from diabetes pay regular visits to an expert in periodontal disease and cosmetic dentistry in Raleigh, NC.
Other Potential Oral Health Threats
The mouth is such a complex set of interacting organs that any interruption to its support system from the rest of the body can have severe negative effects. For example, the saliva that your mouth is constantly producing forms a protective layer over your teeth. One of the seemingly minor effects of diabetes is “dry mouth,” a deficiency in saliva production. Without enough saliva to protect them, the teeth become more vulnerable to cavities, as sugar and other food particles are able to adhere to the enamel of the teeth more easily. This is a particularly high concern with juvenile diabetes, as young people’s adult teeth replace their baby teeth.
There may be even more ways in which diabetes and oral health are linked, and in the coming years we are hopeful that increased understanding of those links will help those of us in the field of cosmetic dentistry in Raleigh, NC better protect our patients’ health. And diabetes is not the only major health threat that is associated with oral health: heart disease is another concern that we are gradually learning more about. Each new piece of research that emerges is yet another reason to be sure that you and your family have a trusted expert in preventive and cosmetic dentistry in Raleigh, NC to help you with all of your oral health needs.
Protecting Your Gums
As the best-known link between oral health and diabetes, your gums deserve your attention! Even if your body doesn’t suffer from blood sugar control problems, it’s up to you to make sure your gums get adequately cleaned every day and that food particles are not allowed to remain in contact with them long-term. At your next routine cleaning with your expert in cosmetic dentistry in Raleigh, NC, ask how you can do a better job in your daily oral hygiene practices to keep both your teeth and your gums healthy. Of course, a bonus will be that your smile will stay dazzling white and beautiful, making you look great and feel great at the same time!
At New Hope Dental Care, the passion of our entire team is to help people be pain-free and enjoy strong, healthy teeth and gums. Diabetes can make that a bit more complicated, but as your partners in oral health and cosmetic dentistry in Raleigh, NC, our team is ready to help you meet the challenge.