Millions of Americans struggle with diabetes, a chronic condition that disrupts the body’s production of insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates sugar in the blood. High or low blood sugar will impact the function of organs throughout your entire body. So managing this disease is crucial to your overall well-being.
Inflammation will also affect your blood sugar. So conditions like infections that trigger your body’s inflammatory response can interfere with your management of diabetes. More than half of Americans will contract gum disease, an infection in the gum tissue, which will generate this kind of inflammation.
Both gum disease and diabetes are prevalent and can have massive effects on your health. Read on to learn more about the connection between these two conditions and their role in your well-being.
Can Diabetes Hurt My Gums?
Diabetes affects multiple systems within your body, including your mouth. Patients with diabetes may see an increase in glucose in their saliva. This can lead to more bacterial build-up on the teeth. Excess bacteria can then easily spread to the gums and infect them.
With gum disease, patients can experience bacteria eating away at their gum tissue. The infection can spread to the tooth root and jawbone, leading to extensive and irreversible dental damage such as tooth loss.
You will require periodontal therapy from your dentist to treat gum disease, so dentists promote preventative care when it comes to gum health. Managing diabetes can stop this risk factor for gum disease so that you can better preserve your smile.
How Does Gum Disease Impact Diabetes?
While diabetes can put your gums at risk for infection, gum disease can also make it harder to manage diabetes. This infection creates inflamed gum tissue. And the inflammation will lead to a systemic response that makes other medical conditions like diabetes worse.
Widespread inflammation heightens blood sugar, which will aggravate symptoms of diabetes. Avoid this inflammation and its side effects by preventing gum disease. To do this, you will need to prioritize your oral health.
How Can I Protect My Gum Health?
Reduce your risk of gum disease by getting rid of plaque and other harmful residues that collect excess bacteria. Plaque forms naturally, but you must scrub it away with proper oral hygiene practices. This will entail brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing each day, and attending routine teeth cleanings with your dentist.
Ask your dentist if rinsing with an antibacterial mouthwash will also keep excess bacteria at bay and stop the spread of oral infections like gum disease. At your regular check-up, a dentist will also screen you for gum disease so that they can offer prompt treatment to eradicate it as soon as possible.
Your dentist can look for other risk factors that threaten your gum health when you schedule a dental consultation. Personalized preventative dental care can suit your specific oral health needs and preserve your smile along with the rest of your health.