Dental Complications For Diabetics

Posted by Owen Jones

July 26, 2010

Diabetes can have different undesirable effects on sufferers’ health and one of those ill-effects is dental quality. Diabetics have a problem processing sugars, which often leads to a circumstance called hyperglycemia, which means that there is too much sugar in the blood. The opposite of having too much sugar in your blood is having too little and that is known as hypoglycemia.

Both circumstances are regulated in healthy people by insulin and herein lies the diabetic’s problem - the body’s automatic production of insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. Both conditions can have serious consequences. Too much sugar in the blood can lead to issues with the kidneys, the heart, the eyes and others, while too little sugar in the blood can cause fits and black-outs.

Tooth and gum disease is normal as are any other health issues. Factors that play a part in tooth and gum disease are age, heredity, smoking and oral hygiene, but the diabetic who is often hyperglycemic has a higher probability of developing dental disease.

The diabetic is more prone to infection of any kind and one of the most common is periodontitis, which affects the teeth, the jaw bones and the gums. One of the visible symptoms of periodontitis is receding gums, which makes the teeth look unusually large, but also exposes the roots of the teeth to the air and food, causing sensitive teeth. Therefore, diabetics must ensure that they make a special effort to visit their dentist at least twice a year. Periodontitis can result in the complete loss of one’s teeth.

The extra sugar in the blood supplies extra food for germs, so they reproduce much more quickly than normal. This rapid build up of bacteria causes red, swollen gums. One of the first signs of gum disease is frequently bleeding. If your gums begin to bleed when you brush your teeth, book an early appointment with your dentist.

Diabetics, along with those who have an impaired immune system, run a much greater risk of contracting periodontitis and so losing all their teeth, if it is left untreated.

Diabetics with periodontitis are not guaranteed to lose all their teeth, but it does have to be caught and treated early because there are various ways that a dentist can deal with the disease.

One of the best means is to manage your blood sugar levels in the first instance. This has to be achieved in conjuction with your doctor, but it will usually include correct dieting, exercise and taking insulin or a surrogate. Not smoking and maintaining your correct weight are also important.

Not all diabetics have to take insulin. There is much more understood about diabetes, diet, exercise and their inter-relationship these days. Some diabetics can circumvent taking insulin and all the side effects that that would usually involve by not eating sugary or starchy food, by eating low-calorie food often during the day instead of at two or three large meals and by monitoring blood-sugar levels.

This is the best way of avoiding the dental complications that diabetics can suffer.

Owen Jones, the author of this article writes on a variety of topics, but is currently involved with investigating teeth whitening costs. If you would like to know more or check out great offers, please go to our website at Opalescence Tooth Whitening Systems

Healthcare

Tags:Healthcare
Technorati Tags:Healthcare

If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.

Comments

No comments yet.

Ebay Deals on Healthcare

[CaRP] Can't open cache file.

Healthcare

Phone Tree Auto Dialer Voice Broadcasting w/ Skype VoIP
2 Aug 2010 at 8:12am
US $0.01 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday Aug-09-2010 6:12:52 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

LIFE EXTENSION Chromium Polynicotinate 200 mcg 365 caps
12 Dec 2009 at 7:07am
US $22.93
End Date: Monday Aug-09-2010 6:12:55 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $22.93
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Stealing Harvard (DVD, 2003)
2 Aug 2010 at 8:15am
US $0.01 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday Aug-09-2010 6:15:57 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

Calculate With Confidence by Deborah C. Gray Morris ...
4 Aug 2010 at 8:16am
US $16.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday Aug-09-2010 6:16:23 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

Aveeno Skin Brightening Daily Scrub - 5 Oz
21 Apr 2008 at 8:11am
US $6.79
End Date: Monday Aug-09-2010 6:16:29 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $6.79
Buy it now | Add to watch list