Diabetes And Oral Health Problems

Diabetes is an unwanted medical condition that can easily affect various parts of the body, most prominently the eyes, nerves, kidneys, and heart. The mouth, too, is not an exception. Diabetes compromises the body’s natural ability to protect itself against bacterial infection. It also reduces the otherwise optimal efficiency at which the body can heal itself.

Risk Factors

Regardless of age, people who suffer from diabetes have higher than normal risk of developing oral health anomalies, which, among others, include:

• Dry mouth. Diabetes is known to cause dry mouth by dramatically reducing saliva flow and production. Medically referred to as xerostomia, dry mouth can easily to result to a number of more serious dental conditions such as gum disease and tooth decay.
• Tooth decay. The mouth naturally is home to many types of bacteria. The sticky white film that forms around the gum line is called plaque. Plaque generally consists of tooth-decay causing bacteria. Feeding on sugar and starch, plaque bacteria produce an extremely acidic byproduct that attacks the enamel of teeth. This is what mainly causes cavities which later on progresses to tooth decay. Because of their inability to keep their sugar under control, diabetic patients tend to have a greater supply of sugar, which allow bacteria to exponentially multiply to ruin the teeth.
• Gum disease.  Left unremoved for an extended period of time, plaque buildup hardens to form calcium deposits called calculus. Otherwise known as tartar, untreated calculus can breed enough bacteria to infect and inflame the gums. Gum disease, when left untreated, destroys periodontal soft tissues and tooth-supporting bone structures. Gum disease tends to affect diabetics who don’t have their blood-sugar levels under control because of their already compromised healing capacity.

Dentist In Brisbane

Patients who suffer from diabetes should especially practice good dental habits. More importantly, it is imperative for diabetic patients to seek professional dental upkeep to improve and preserve their oral health. This mostly consists of regular dental checkups, periodontal screenings, and professional dental cleanings.

Led by principal dentist James Malouf, Malouf Dental houses a team of dental experts who are committed to providing the local Brisbane community and its surrounding regions with world-class dental services.

Call us today at (07) 3390 6100 or simply book your appointment online and take the first step towards absolute dental and oral well-being. Your dental care partners at Malouf Dental have been serving families from Brisbane, Tingalpa, Belmont, Carina, Carindale, Cannon Hill, Murarrie, Hemmant, Wynnum West, Manly West, Wakerley and Gumdale for many years.

SOURCE: https://www.ada.org/sections/publicResources/pdfs/patient_18.pdf