Diabetes and Dental Care

By editor | October 4, 2007

Numerous people have reported that once they had healed from having an abscessed tooth, or their gingivitis (gum disease) had been cured, or they had a large cavity filled, their blood sugar became more normal. Any source of infection will “push” the blood sugar up. Therefore, keeping the teeth clean, massaging the gums, fighting plaque, and seeing your dentist every six months or as directed will aid in controlling your blood-glucose levels.

First, you need to know what is recommended for good dental care . People with diabetes, especially older people, should see the dentist more frequently than every six months. If a person has dentures, observations should be made for any inflammation of the gums, with any such inflammation reported to the dentist. Teeth should be brushed, or at least the mouth should be rinsed, after every meal or snack. The major times to brush your teeth are on awakening and before going to sleep. Before going to bed, flossing is a must. Brushing reaches only three sides of the tooth, but the tooth has five sides. Flossing reaches those other two sides. Gum massage is also a help. This could be done with a water pick or with a rubber tip. Placing this tip under the gum line stimulates the flow of circulating blood and assists in ridding the mouth of debris that might have worked beneath the gum line. Flossing usually catches this, but sometimes it doesn’t. (Note: To be most helpful, flossing must include the base of the tooth and the area under the gum line.)

If you have a problem with plaque, prerinsing with a plaque loosening solution is recommended. Many toothpastes also contain ingredients to fight plaque, tartar, or both. The mechanical action of the toothbrush is your best ally in fighting plaque and massaging the gums. The old “from the top of the tooth down” technique has been replaced with the circular or round movement of the brush at the gum line and over the tooth surface.

If any dental surgery is to be performed, blood-glucose levels should be as normal as possible beforehand. The outcome will be better healing at a more normal rate. Antibiotics may be started a few days before the surgical procedure to better support the prevention of infection.

The “quiet occurrence” of gingivitis should also be noted. If you notice any bleeding when you brush your teeth (and you are brushing normally), suspect gingivitis. Severe gingivitis can lead to loosening or loss of teeth and, if it goes under the gum line, bone involvement. Proper dental care and good nutrition, along with normal blood-glucose levels, are the best methods of preventing gingivitis.


Tagged under:

Share This

Topics: Diabetes Care |

Comments

You must be logged in to post a comment.