Diabetes affect oral health and your entire body including your teeth as well. Not many are aware that there is a strong link between diabetes and oral health issues. While being diabetic, an individual takes extra care of the liver, heart, and even muscles, ensuring problems are caused. But, improper management of blood sugar often leads to many complications, and here we will discuss how it is going to affect oral health.
The link between diabetes and oral health:
Concerning oral health and diabetes link, improper management of blood sugar levels can lead to white blood cells’ disoriented functioning. When the WBCs become weak, their fighting capacity reduces, causing infections in your mouth and gums. There is a misconception of diabetes causes infections or cavities or tooth decay, or any oral issues. But it is the improper management of blood sugar levels that causes these oral health concerns.
What are the oral health issues because of diabetes?
As mentioned earlier, uncontrolled blood sugar levels cause oral health issues such as the following:
- Mouth dryness: The well-being of the mouth and gums is maintained by saliva, as it actively removes harmful bacteria. Also, bacteria fighting agents are low, causing a dry mouth to lead to a breeding ground for bacteria. These bacteria would actively create oral issues like soreness, infections, and tooth decay. Specific medication for diabetic patients causes dry mouth. Ensure that your blood sugar levels are checked so that the mouth is not dry and saliva is produced enough to protect the teeth and the gums.
- Gingivitis and periodontal disease: Gingivitis is a condition where an individual suffers from bleeding gums. This condition is painful and uncomfortable. Gums infections can get quicker and severe in a diabetic patient because the blood vessels thicken, including the mouth. Due to this, the chances of infections are high resulting in gum diseases.
- Poor healing of tissue: Being a diabetic patient, one must be very cautious with their health scenarios. A minor cleaning procedure at times would be a painful procedure for the patient as the chance of poor tissue healing will be high. This condition is caused due to improper management of blood sugar levels.
- Thrush: Most diabetic patients will be prescribed antibiotics to deal with bacterial infections. This makes them vulnerable to fungal infections in the oral area (mouth and tongue). And, if you have dentures, then you are prone to have evident fungus issues. Unable to manage the dentures or always to wear them also will lead to mouth and gums infections.