How Does Diabetes Affect Your Teeth?
By Dixit Arora +2 more
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By Dixit Arora +2 more
Diabetes means your blood sugar levels have soared. It might result from your body becoming resistant to insulin that keeps blood sugar level in check or because your body doesn’t produce a sufficient amount of insulin.
Diabetes can have a severe impact on all parts of your body and your mouth is no exception. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can harm your oral cavity. The more your blood sugar level rises, the greater the damage will be.
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There are many colonies of bacteria in your mouth. Some of them are essential to prevent tooth decay. But when they come in contact with sugars and starch, they react by producing a coating around your teeth. This is called plaque. Plaque contains acids that slowly erode your teeth (the enamel and the dentin). When you have diabetes, naturally more sugar and starch will be circulated to your mouth. And this means your teeth and gums will be even more vulnerable to decay.
Diabetes symptoms are many, but some are more debilitating than others are. One such severe symptom is a weak immune system. This is especially significant when it comes to dental health. If you are healthy, your body can fight off the harmful effects of plaque. But if you are a diabetic with a weak immune system, the plaque will become a solid hard mass called the dental calculus.
This hardened plaque affects the tooth base (gingival) – they get infected, swell up and may even bleed.
Periodontitis is the advanced form of gingivitis. It attacks the tissues and bones that grip your teeth, leading to the teeth coming loose and eventually falling off. This infection persists because your body can’t get rid of it due to a weakened immune system.
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It’s not just bacteria but yeast too that can sometimes dwell in your mouth. Candida Albicans, a type of yeast, causes an infection called thrush and diabetics are more prone to it than other people are.
Diabetes can dry up your mouth and cause a disorder called xerostomia. Your mouth doesn’t produce enough saliva to moisten the mouth. Less saliva makes it easier for the plaque to stick to your teeth and this can deteriorate your dental health further.
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Even though diabetes increases the risk of teeth and gum diseases, there’s no need to lose hope. All you need to do is follow the diabetes precautions mentioned below to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
Diabetes can trigger a host of gum and teeth problems. But if you follow the necessary precautions, your dental health will not be compromised.
Also Read About: Understanding the Relation Between Diabetes & Heart Disease
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