Did you know that 1 in 5 cases of complete tooth loss have been linked to diabetes? Did you know that not only can diabetes increase your risk of gum disease, but that gum disease can make it difficult to control blood sugar levels? If diabetes isn’t properly cared for, it can wreak havoc on your general and dental health.
Why Diabetes Can Cause Dental Health Problems
The body’s ability to process sugar affects the health of the entire body. Problems that specifically occur in the mouth because of diabetes are often the result of:
- High blood sugar levels
- Delayed healing ability
- Weakened immune system
- Impaired ability to fight infections
- Some diabetes medications
Dental Health Problems That Can Occur Because Of Diabetes
The above issues caused by diabetes have the potential to create a series of dental health problems, including:
- Gum Disease
- Fungal Infections
- Tooth Decay
- Oral Surgery Infections
- Delayed Healing
How To Prevent Dental Health Problems If You Have Diabetes
These dental health problems can become very serious, but there are a lot of steps you can take to prevent them from happening in the first place such as:
- Brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing them once a day.
- Maintaining good blood sugar levels.
- Keeping a healthy diet.
- Not smoking tobacco.
- Regularly visiting your dentist (and making sure they know you have diabetes).