How diabetes affects oral health

Special promotion

November 14 is World Diabetes Day. To help prevent and improve the oral health of diabetics, for one month we offer a free check-up and oral hygiene kit to people affected by this disease.

Contact us at 93 343 66 41 to request your appointment.

Oral health is not isolated from the rest of the body. All our systems, organs and even each cell are interrelated to function, so some diseases that originate in certain parts can also affect our mouth.

This is the case of diabetes, a chronic disease that, according to WHO data, affects more than 400 million people worldwide, one in eleven.

Diabetes is a dysfunction of the pancreas that alters the production of insulin, which affects our body’s ability to process sugar. An excess of sugar in the blood can cause heart, kidney or circulation problems, as well as oral and dental problems, which are the ones we will discuss in this article.

1. Gum diseases

Gingivitis and periodontitis are one of the possible complications of diabetes, as this disease decreases our ability to fight bacterial infections.

Gingivitis is a bacterial disease that occurs when plaque or biofilm builds up around the teeth. The bacteria present in the plaque attack the soft tissue surrounding the tooth, causing redness, inflammation and bleeding. In a more advanced stage it becomes periodontitis. Diabetes makes us more susceptible to this infection, which aggravates the problem. Likewise, if the disease is not controlled, despite treating periodontitis, healing and healing will be affected.

2. Caries

Another possible consequence of diabetes is dry mouth. This dryness can cause discomfort or pain, sores and infections, as the lack of saliva alters the flora that protects our mouth.

Saliva can act as a protector against caries by helping to clean our mouth and reduce the acidity of certain foods that attack dental flora and enamel. When saliva production decreases, we are more exposed to caries.

3. Oral Candidiasis

Oral candidiasis is detected by small whitish spots that appear in the oral cavity and on the tongue, which are sometimes mistaken for food debris, but do not come off when you try to remove them with a gauze.

This infection is caused by an opportunistic fungus that only causes infection when the immune system and the balance of bacteria in the mouth are disturbed, as is the case with diabetes.

Oral health tips for diabetics

Diabetics should pay special attention to the care of their mouth and dental health, as any problems can be aggravated by reduced resistance to infection and dry mouth.

The most important thing is to inform your dentist of your diabetes-related health status so that he or she can assess how it affects your oral health, especially before any surgery. In addition, the better controlled your glucose levels are, the better resistance you will have to possible infections and related problems.

• Visit your dentist at least every six months to check the condition of your mouth.
• Strictly follow your dentist’s oral hygiene recommendations: brushing, flossing, interdental brushes and mouthwashes.
• Try to schedule dental visits in the morning, when glucose levels are usually more controlled.
• Pay attention to any symptoms or irregularities, especially if you have undergone surgery, as diabetes also decreases the speed at which we heal.

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, remember, it’s always better to be safe!