Teeth Complications Of Diabetes

By Owen Jones

Diabetes can have various adverse effects on sufferers' health and one of those ill-effects is dental quality. Diabetics have a problem processing sugars, which often leads to a circumstance called hyperglycemia, which means that there is too much sugar in the blood. The opposite of having too much sugar in your blood is having too little and that is called hypoglycemia.

Both circumstances are regulated in healthy people by insulin and herein lies the diabetic's problem - the body's automatic production of insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. Both conditions can have serious consequences. Too much sugar in the blood can lead to issues with the kidneys, the heart, the eyes and others, while too little sugar in the blood can cause fits and black-outs.

Tooth and gum disease is natural as are any other health issues. Factors that play a role in tooth and gum disease are age, heredity, smoking and oral hygiene, but the diabetic who is often hyperglycemic has a higher chance of developing dental disease.

The diabetic is more susceptible to infection of any kind and one of the most common is periodontitis, which has an effect on the teeth, the jaw bones and the gums. One of the visible symptoms of periodontitis is receding gums, which makes the teeth look unusually large, but also exposes the roots of the teeth to the air and food, causing sensitive teeth. Therefore, diabetics must ensure that they make a special effort to visit their dentist at least twice a year. Periodontitis can result in the complete loss of one's teeth.

The superfluous sugar in the blood supplies extra food for germs, so they reproduce much more quickly than normal. This rapid build up of bacteria causes red, swollen gums. One of the first signs of gum disease is often bleeding. If your gums begin to bleed when you brush your teeth, make an early appointment with your dentist.

Diabetics, along with those who have an impaired immune system, run a much greater risk of developing periodontitis and so losing all their teeth, if it is left untreated.

Diabetics with periodontitis are not guaranteed to lose all their teeth, but it does have to be caught and treated early because there are various ways that a dentist can deal with the disease.

One of the best means is to manage your blood sugar levels in the first instance. This has to be achieved in conjunction with your doctor, but it will usually include correct dieting, exercise and taking insulin or a surrogate. Not smoking and maintaining your correct weight are also important.

Not all diabetics need to take insulin. There is much more understood about diabetes, diet, exercise and their inter-relationship these days. Some diabetics can circumvent taking insulin and all the side effects that that would usually involve by not eating sugary or starchy food, by eating low-calorie meals often during the day instead of at two or three large meals and by checking blood-sugar levels.

This is the best way of avoiding the dental difficulties that diabetics can experience.

About the Author:

Owen Jones, the author of this piece writes on a variety of subjects, but is currently concerned with investigating teeth whitening costs. If you would like to know more or check out great offers, please go to our website at Opalescence Tooth Whitening Systems