How Diabetes Can Affect Your Oral Health

If you’re managing diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2) or dealing with the ramifications of prediabetes, you may already know about its impact on your eyes, kidneys, and heart. But your mouth deserves attention too!

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month in the United States. At Lancaster Dental Care Associates in Lancaster, California, we’re concerned about your smile year-round, but this month we want to focus on how diabetes connects with your oral health.

Here’s a message from our team about the effects of poorly managed diabetes on your smile and how to protect your teeth and gums.

Understanding why diabetes matters for your mouth

High blood sugar levels from poorly managed diabetes change how your body fights infections and how your tissues repair themselves.

When considering oral health, that means:

• Decreased saliva, reducing its ability to wash away food particles and bacteria
• Increased risk of plaque buildup, cavities, and gum disease
• Blood-vessel changes that affect healing
• Weakened immune response

Put simply: If diabetes isn’t managed well, you’re more susceptible to gum disease, tooth decay, dry mouth, infections, and slower healing.

More about oral health risks associated with diabetes

Specific oral health risks associated with diabetes include:

Gum disease

People with diabetes face a higher risk of early (gingivitis) and advanced (periodontitis) gum disease. Symptoms depend on the level of gum disease. For instance, with gingivitis, you may notice your gums appear redder than usual and bleed when you brush your teeth.

More advanced gum disease, or periodontitis, causes noticeable swelling, bleeding, gums pulling away from the teeth, loose teeth, persistent bad breath, and eventual tooth loss if left untreated.

Dry mouth (xerostomia)

Saliva production can be compromised by diabetes and nerve damage related to high blood sugar levels. With less saliva, your mouth is less protected, increasing the risk of cavities, ulcers, and infections. Dry mouth can also affect taste, swallowing, and speaking.

Oral infections and slow healing

High blood sugar levels mean your body is less able to fight infection and heal wounds, including in the mouth. Infections in the mouth can quickly spread to other areas of the body, impacting your overall health.

A two-way relationship

Not only can diabetes lead to oral issues, but gum disease, infections, and other oral health conditions can make blood sugar control harder. That creates a cycle of worsening diabetes control and worsening oral health.

Tips to protect your smile (and your oral health)

Our team’s tips for protecting your oral health include:

Keep your diabetes under control

Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels reduces your risk of oral health complications. If you struggle to manage your diabetes, you may benefit from a checkup with a diabetes specialist.

See your dentist regularly

We recommend an exam every six months, more often if you have gum disease or other conditions that require expert care. Make sure your dental team knows you have diabetes.

Brush and floss consistently

Give your smile the care it deserves by brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing daily, or using interdental cleaners.

Stay hydrated and manage dry mouth

Drink water, consider sugar-free gum to stimulate saliva, and discuss any medications or conditions that may affect saliva production with your dentist.

Avoid tobacco products

Smoking and other tobacco use amplify diabetes complications and oral disease risk.

Communicate with your care team

Share your diabetes history, medications, and any changes in your health with your dentist. Also, keep your physician informed of oral health issues so they can adjust your diabetes treatment as necessary.

Want to partner with us?

If you’re looking for expert dental care that understands the link between systemic health and your smile, schedule a visit by phone or online at Lancaster Dental Care Associates today.