Diabetics have high sugar levels in their blood. High sugar levels are bound to lead to some health complications, as it should be converted to energy that is used by the body. In diabetic cases, the hormone that breaks down these sugars (insulin) is not produced or is not sufficient, so the sugar remains in the blood instead.
Diabetes needs to be well managed, so that it does not end up affecting an individual’s day to day life. However, in some cases, it is known to affect the dental health of an individual.
Below are some common dental infections related to diabetes:
Gum Disease
The supply of blood to the gums can be affected because of the high sugar levels. This can increase the chances of gum inflammation, which in most cases cause bleeding. It is upon the patient to seek medical attention when they notice such extreme changes in the gums.
Dry Mouth
High sugar levels in the blood cause dehydrated. This leads to a dry mouth, which obviously exposes the diabetic patient to tooth decay. Saliva helps to cleanse the mouth of food particles after eating, which are main causes for bacteria that causes tooth decay. One has to drink enough water to stay hydrated and to keep the mouth clean.
Tooth Cavities
These sugar levels also end up in one’s saliva. The sugar helps harmful bacteria that cause tooth decay to grow. If one does not have a specific dental routine, these bacteria grows and causes cavities that result in teeth decaying. Check out “dentist Brooklyn” services to know the options of treating cavities when they arise.
Loosing Of Teeth
People suffering from diabetes are bound to lose teeth easily compared to healthy individuals. This is because they are also more prone to gum disease, which in the end affects the tissues around teeth. When the tissues become weak, the patient will have loose teeth which fall off with time.
Slows Down Healing
Having these infections as a diabetic is not the best because the healing process is very slow. This is because of the general health of the individual. They would have to work closely with a doctor so as not to have wounds that won’t heal.
How to Avoid Dental Complications from Diabetes
As much as diabetes comes with its cons, there are way an individual can still have a dental routine that will help them have great oral health. They just need consistency and a supportive environment to help them maintain a good oral hygiene. Below are the most common options:
- Annual dental check-ups: This cannot be avoided, especially for someone who is diabetic. There are some dental problems that can only be handled by a medical doctor. One needs to make it a routine to get general dental check-ups at least twice a year. With such check-ups some infections can be identified early enough and dealt with before spreading.
- Manage your sugar levels: the main reason why one is easily exposed to dental infections is because of the high sugar levels. First start by managing the levels. Eat the right food, which will maintain your sugar levels within the right limits. It is also advisable to take your insulin shots and right on time. Ensuring that you manage your sugar levels goes a long way to ensure that you lead an easy and close to a normal life.
- Frequent brushing and flossing: Create a daily dental hygiene routine that you can follow through. Brushing and flossing are very essential, and provide the best solution to most dental infections. Diabetic patients need to practice this more because of their condition. Brushing will help them get rid of any bacteria that might thrive in the high sugar level environment.
- Use mouth wash: There are chances of having sugar in one’s saliva, so a mouth wash can be very useful in keeping the mouth clean. Use it after meals to clean up any leftover food particles in the mouth.
- Diet: One other very important factor to consider as a diabetic is the food that you eat. It has to be a diet that is low on sugar, so that you don’t make the sugar levels worse. You also have to eat more of healthy organic foods. Such food helps to balance sugar levels and not make them worse.
In Closing
Anyone suffering from diabetes does not need to worry about dental problems, if they can take proper care of their oral hygiene. Remember to seek professional guidance from a “dentist Brooklyn” in case of alarm. Also, the first step to dental health for a diabetic is managing their sugar levels, and everything else will fall into place.
