HOW UNCONTROLLED DIABETES AFFECTS ORAL HEALTH

Diabetes is a common disease that affects your entire body. If you neglect to monitor your blood sugar, your body can quickly turn against itself, including your oral health. Uncontrolled diabetes can increase your risk of many oral complications. If you would like to know more about how diabetes can affect your oral health, keep reading.

You May Experience Dry Mouth

One big reason diabetes causes so much havoc on your mouth is because it may cause dry mouth. The exact reason why diabetics may get dry mouth is unknown, but it may have something to do with high blood sugar levels. Of course, certain medications you may need to take because of your diabetes or other health complications can also cause dry mouth.

Dry mouth can be uncomfortable because it removes lubrication from your mouth and lips, which may lead to cracked lips or pain inside the mouth. However, even worse, dry mouth can increase the risk of decay, gum disease, and infection.

Saliva is supposed to naturally help remove some bacteria between brushing and flossing. If you have dry mouth, you don’t have enough saliva to keep your mouth clean, so bacteria has more time to attack your teeth and gums, which can lead to oral infections. Also, plaque has more time to harden into tartar.

You're More Likely to Get Oral Infections

Due to dry mouth and other factors, one of the most damaging effects of uncontrolled diabetes on your oral health is an increased risk of infection. First, you may be more likely to developing certain fungal infections like thrush, which may present with white or red patches inside the mouth. In severe cases, they can become open sores. If you also have dentures or smoke, your chances of thrush increase.

Another infection you may develop is a tooth infection or an abscess. This happens when bacteria reaches the tooth's pulp. You may experience severe pain, and you will need root canal treatment or extraction to remove the infection.

Finally, uncontrolled diabetes increases the risk of gum disease. The first signs of gum disease are mild, such as tender gums when brushing or flossing. If you neglect treatment and your diabetes, however, it can advance to chronic periodontal disease, which destroys gums, teeth, and jawbone. About 22 percent of diabetic patients also have periodontal disease.

Your Oral Wounds Won't Heal Fast

If you have diabetes, you likely know wounds don't heal well, especially if your diabetes is not under control. This is mostly because high levels of blood glucose can affect blood circulation and even led to nerve damage, which further slows healing.

This makes it harder for your mouth to heal when you do get thrush, a cut, or an infection. As a result, even if you try to fight the wound or infection, it may continue to spread and worsen. Instead, you should also work to better control your blood sugar levels.

Another reason slow healing is problematic is because it means you'll take longer to heal after oral treatments like extraction. This can be painful, but it also increases the risk of complications, especially infections from the unhealed incision. Therefore, before your dentist recommends treatment for gum disease or other oral complications, you need to start to manage your diabetes and blood sugar levels better.

Brushing and flossing are important for keeping your teeth and gums clean, but for some patients, this is just not enough. Genetics, certain medications, and certain diseases like diabetes can negatively impact your oral health regardless of how well you brush and floss. If you have diabetes, and your teeth aren't as healthy as you'd like, contact us at Bradley Piotrowski DDS, MSD, LLC, today to see how we can help.