Navigating the Effects of Diabetes on Oral Health

The mouth, along with the rest of the body, can be affected by diabetes. Diabetes increases a person's risk of developing tooth and gum issues. Gum disease can be avoided by maintaining good oral health and managing your blood sugar levels. For guidance on how to maintain the health of your teeth and gums, schedule routine dental visits.

Understanding Diabetes

The body's ability to convert food into energy is affected by diabetes. After you eat, food is broken down by the body into sugar (glucose) and absorbed into the blood. An increase in blood sugar signals your pancreas to release insulin. Insulin helps the absorption of blood sugar from the blood into the body's cells to produce energy.

Diabetes is a condition in which your body does not produce enough insulin or cannot use it effectively. Due to this, excessive amounts of blood sugar remains in your blood circulation as the cells cannot take up the sugar. This can affect the health of organs like the heart, kidneys, and eyes, and even oral health.

Oral Health Issues More Common Among People With Diabetes?

Uncontrolled diabetes impairs the function of white blood cells (WBCs), the body's principal line of defence against bacterial infections in the mouth.

In addition, if you have high blood sugar, your saliva also contains a lot of sugar. Plaque, a sticky layer that builds up on the teeth, contains bacteria that eat this sugar. Some of these microorganisms can lead to gum disease, tooth decay, cavities, and even tooth loss, if not treated.

Diabetes may reduce saliva production, which causes dry mouth and, eventually, tooth decay and other conditions of the mouth.

People living with diabetes may not recover as quickly as others as their healing is impaired. Thus, your gum disease or other oral condition may become more severe and take longer to recover. The risk of gum disease and tooth decay is greater in people with diabetes with fluctuating blood glucose levels than in those with normal blood sugar levels.

Common Oral Health Problems Faced by People With Diabetes 

Some common oral conditions seen in people with diabetes are:

1. Gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis

Gum disease is caused by dental plaque, which is made up of bacteria and food particles. Plaque eventually hardens to produce tartar if it is left on the teeth and gums. Plaque and tartar irritate the gums, causing them to swell, bleed, and become red (gingivitis). Gum disease affects the underlying bone as it worsens, which leads to eventual bone loss (periodontitis), making the teeth loosen and eventually fall off.

2. Oral thrush (fungal infection)

Oral thrush, also called candidiasis, is caused by a fungal infection. It is brought on by an overabundance of the oral yeast Candida albicans. Some diabetes-related factors, such as elevated salivary sugar levels, weakened infection resistance, and dry mouth (poor saliva production), might promote the proliferation of these fungi and result in oral thrush.

A fungal infection of the lips and tongue is particularly common among individuals with diabetes who routinely use antibiotics to treat other illnesses. Dentures can also cause fungal infections, especially if worn all the time.

Occasionally, ulcerated white or red spots on the surface of the mouth are caused by oral thrush. Oral thrush can be treated with good oral hygiene and keeping blood sugar levels within the normal range. If necessary, your dentist can prescribe antifungal drugs to treat this problem.

3. Dry mouth

Uncontrolled diabetes can cause dry mouth by reducing saliva (spit) flow. Additionally, pain, ulcers, infections, and tooth damage can result from dry mouth due to the proliferation of bacteria as a result of less resistance to infection and a slow healing rate.

4. Dental decay

People with diabetes may have dry mouth and more glucose in their saliva when their blood glucose levels rise. Dental plaque can accumulate on teeth as a result of this, eventually causing cavities and tooth decay.

Maintain a Healthy Mouth

If you have diabetes, you need to take extra care of your teeth and gums in addition to maintaining blood glucose levels that are within the target range.

Here are a few crucial pointers for maintaining good oral health:

• Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste and floss at least twice daily.
• If you have diabetes, let your dentist know about it.
• Consult your dentist if your gums are red, inflamed, or readily bleed. These might indicate gum disease. Dry mouth, loose teeth, or oral discomfort are other symptoms that your dentist should be aware of.
• If you smoke, quit smoking. Smoking increases your risk of developing gum disease and can make diabetes worse.
• Following your diabetes treatment plan, caring for your oral health, and consulting your doctor or dentist every six to twelve months for regular cleanings and any necessary treatment will help you maintain healthy teeth and gums even when you have diabetes.