Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes have the potential to significantly affect various aspects of your general wellbeing. Your oral health is no different, which is why when it comes to diabetes management, dental check-ups should not be avoided or ignored.
Whether you are coming in for treatment of a recurring dental issue, professional teeth whitening in London or just to get an exam done, you want to be aware of how diabetes plays into your oral health. Let’s take a closer look at the 7 important links between this medical condition and your smile:
1. Dental Care is a Central Aspect of Diabetic Management: For people with diabetes, dental care is not just about having a shiny smile; it is a key aspect of managing the condition. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels can cause a higher risk of dental complications. Strict oral hygiene and regular dental check-ups are critical in avoiding complications that may worsen diabetes.
2. Higher Risks of Oral Health Infections: Diabetics have a higher risk of oral infections, including gum disease and fungal infections like thrush. These infections are more prevalent and tend to be more severe because of high blood sugar levels, which provide an environment where bacteria and fungi can grow more easily. Early detection and treatment are important to keep these infections from becoming serious problems.
3. Glucose Levels can Influence Outcomes of Dental Treatment: Blood glucose levels have a major impact on the effectiveness of dental treatments. Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus can compromise healing and predispose to infection following dental treatment. Blood sugar levels must be controlled rigorously, particularly prior to any dental treatment, to maximise outcomes.
4. Diabetes Treatments can Affect Infection Healing: Does Metformin impact your teeth? Some medications that are used to regulate blood sugar levels and other aspects of this illness can also hinder immune system function. Immunosuppressant drugs can make it harder for the body to keep infection such as gingivitis and oral thrush at bay.
5. Dysfunction of Salivary Glands: Diabetes can also change the functioning of salivary glands, causing a number of oral health issues:
a. Decreased Saliva Output: Both forms of diabetes can reduce the output of saliva, producing a condition referred to as xerostomia or dry mouth. Saliva neutralises acids generated by bacteria, prevents the growth of bacteria, and removes food particles. Decreased saliva increases the risk of infection and dental decay.
b. Modified Saliva Composition: Diabetes may also modify the composition of saliva. Such modification may influence its protective function over teeth and gums, leading to fast-tracking of dental problems such as cavities or gum disease.
6. Taste Change: Diabetes can modify the sense of taste. This may seem trivial, but it can significantly influence what and how you eat, and consequently, your oral health. For instance, if you don’t find sweet foods so tasty, you may consume fewer sweet foods, which is healthy for maintaining diabetes. However, if food tastes unpalatable, you may use more salt or sugar so that food becomes tasty, which is not healthy for your teeth as well as this autoimmune disorder.
7. Lower Pain Tolerance: As perspectives and experience of pain differ from one person to another, diabetes can cause you to feel more pain during procedures like root canal treatments than usual. You must consult your doctor about pain management and what you should expect prior to a dental procedure.
Dental Treatments for Patients with Diabetes
Dentists play a crucial role in oral health management for diabetic patients. Key points which you should consider include:
- Thorough Evaluation: Prior to any dental treatment, it is essential to know a patient’s diabetes. This involves monitoring their blood sugar control and seeking out any kidney complications or other medical problems. All of this information assists the dentist in planning safe dentistry.
- Collaborative Care: Dentists will usually be working in consultation with the patient’s physicians. This collaboration ensures dental treatment complements the patient’s overall diabetes care.
- Preventive Measures: Regular dental check-ups and cleaning are very important. These prevent even more severe health issues in diabetics, who are more prone to kidney diseases, infections, and complications with other systems that are related to the pancreas and mouth.
- Tailored Treatment Plans: Adjusting dental treatment in accordance with the person’s diabetes diagnosis and their overall health status. If a patient has trouble with tooth loss, periodontal disease, dry mouth or other problems besides diabetes, a dentist ought to collaborate with his or her primary care provider to get him or her the best and most safely maintained dental care possible.
The relationship between diabetes and dentistry is a complicated one that requires a high level of comprehensive and informed care. Oral health is an essential part of the management of diabetes for individuals with this condition.
Dentists play a crucial role in ensuring that treatment is safe, effective and customised to the unique needs of patients with diabetes.
Comprehensive Care in Dentistry
Don’t let diabetes get in the way of having the best oral health. Come in for a regular check-up at our Teeth Whitening London clinic, where we understand the specific dental needs of our diabetic patients.
Routine dental check-ups are part of standard diabetic care. Our family-friendly staff is dedicated to delivering comprehensive, caring treatment to provide the best possible oral health for you and your family.
Visit our website or call now to schedule your appointment. Take an active step toward a better smile and a better you.
