If You Suffer From Diabetes, Watch Your Oral Health

Diabetes is a chronicle illness that provokes the pancreas not to produce enough insulin, so that, glucose is not absorbed correctly. This causes it to flow freely through blood, damaging tissues and provoking numerous complications like having a big risk of suffering oral problems.

The latest SEPA’s research, Spanish Society of Periodontics and Osseo-integration of the SED Foundation (Spanish society of Diabetes) affirms that the relationship between diabetes and oral problems is bidirectional, which means that not only the diabetes increases the risk of suffering oral problems; it also can be affected by these problems. This is the reason why we should pay attention to the importance for diabetics to look after their oral health and keep it healthy.

If I suffer from diabetes, what should I do to keep my mouth and gums healthy? We give you here some tips to look after your oral health if you are diabetic:

• Visit frequently your dentist and tell him you suffer from diabetes. Periodontal illnesses not only damage gums, they can also affect the bones holding teeth and provoke their loss. This can mean a wear in the quality of life of a diabetic patient.
• Get a proper dental cleaning periodically, the status of gums is fundamental. Caries normally is originated by a bacterial infection caused by streptococcus, something that could be a direct consequence of hyperglycaemia, because these types of bacteria have more chances to survive and damage the enamel when the level of glucose surrounding gums is high.

• Use tooth paste with fluorine and use a soft brush for your daily hygiene. Gingivitis is a kind of inflammation in gums that has its origin in the accumulation of dental plaque, something that happens more frequently in people with diabetes. So that, having a good routine is essential.
• Take a lot liquid to avoid the oral dryness that can provoke some medicines. Moreover, a dry mouth implies a decrease of saliva production, helping the proliferation of fungus which can end up provoking infections.
• Avoid tobacco. The diabetic people who smoke have a higher risk; its tendency is up to 20 times more than non-smokers, of the development of oral candidiasis and periodontal illness.

It is essential to keep doing good practice of oral hygiene, paying special attention to any kind of change in your oral health and visiting your dentist if those changes occur. This way, the specialist with carry preventive tasks of early diagnosis and of the treatment you require.