What are the effects of Diabetes on Dental Health?

While everybody is susceptible to oral health problems such as tooth decay and gum disease, people who are suffering from diabetes, are at a higher risk of suffering from these unwanted dental complications.

Diabetes is one of the most common endocrine disorders in the world. It’s estimated that approximately 20 million people already have diabetes, although experts assume that only two-thirds of these people are diagnosed. Diabetes compromises the natural ability of the body to ward off infection. It also diminishes the otherwise optimal ability of the body to heal itself.

Diabetes affects various parts of the body including the eyes, nerves, kidneys and heart. The mouth, too, is not an exception. Oral health complications are:

• Dry mouth: People who suffer from diabetes tend to have decreased salivary flow resulting in a dry mouth. Saliva production is necessary in keeping teeth and gums healthy, moist and comfortable. Medically referred to as xerostomia, dry mouth is a gateway condition that easily opens to more serious oral health complications such as tooth decay and gum disease.
• Tooth decay: Patients with uncontrolled diabetes have higher glucose levels in their saliva. This creates the perfect environment for decay causing bacteria to breed and exponentially multiply. Left uncleaned, these bacteria tend to interact with sugar to form a filthy dental film called plaque, which attacks the dental enamel, typically resulting in tooth decay.
• Gum Disease: Having an already compromised ability to ward off infection, patients with diabetes are especially susceptible to gum disease. Gum disease is a chronic bacterial infection, which when left untreated results to permanent damage of periodontal tissues and tooth supporting bone.

Apart from practicing good dental habits like brushing, flossing and rinsing with a dentist recommended mouthwash, it’s imprtant for people with diabetes to seek preventive dental care. This mainly consists of getting regular dental checkups, periodontal screenings, and professional cleans.

Our two dental clinics at Park Road, Milton and Buranda Shopping Village are open and ready to accept patients from Brisbane, Milton, Woolloongabba and all other surrounding areas like Bardon Indooropilly, Kenmore, Auchenflower Toowong, St. Lucia, Southbank, West End, Dutton Park, Coorparoo, Fairfield, Greenslopes, Annerley, South Brisbane, Stones Corner, Mount Gravatt East, Holland Park, Highgate Hill, and Brisbane CBD.