Diabetes makes life more difficult for individuals by testing their self-control to the limit. Inevitably, diabetes overshadows your oral health, and everything can go downhill if you don’t follow stringent guidelines to control diabetes. However, along with keeping your blood glucose in check, you need to practice better oral hygiene. Therefore, in this article, we shall discuss how to look after your oral health when you have diabetes.
Diabetes And Oral Health:
If you have diabetes, you should be on the lookout for potential oral problems. This is because, with diabetes, a few common oral diseases progress faster.
Here is how diabetes affects your oral health:
Gum Diseases: Diabetes weakens the body’s immune system. Hence, bacteria infect the gums more readily and cling to your gum line for a long time. Consequently, progressing gum disease can result in tooth or bone loss.
To protect yourself from gum diseases, keep an eye out for swollen or bleeding gums. Moreover, bad breath and foul taste also indicate the presence of gum diseases.
Tooth Decay: Decay bacteria love high glucose and low competition; high blood glucose with low saliva levels provide just that. Hence, you can expect a rapid rise in cavities if you let your guard down.
Consequently, when you have diabetes, you should know that you are more susceptible to oral issues. However, that’s not the end of the line, as it’s merely one more battlefront against oral problems. It’s something you can conquer by your persistence, diligence, and the aid of your dentist.
How To Look After Your Oral Health When You Have Diabetes:
- Controlling Your Blood Sugar: Blood sugar matters, and it can get you into hot water. Therefore, try to keep blood sugar within the recommended range as advised by your doctor. You can do this by controlling your diet and with the help of your prescribed medicines.
- Brush Regularly: You don’t want bacteria and food debris to settle on your teeth and the gumline. Hence, brushing can help you to dislodge these unwanted habitants. Try brushing after every meal with a soft-bristled toothbrush, so you don’t irritate your gums. Moreover, we recommend you to gently brush your tongue so you can shake bacteria and debris from there.
- Flossing And Mouthwash: Flossing and using mouthwash can also help you. Mouthwash contains antiseptics that can keep the bacteria population in check. However, before using a medical mouthwash, make sure you contact your dentist for acknowledgement.
- Chew Sugar-Free Gum: Eating gum stimulates the production of saliva. This would solve the problem of dry mouth.
- Visit Brenham Family Dental For Regular Checkups: In your quest for a healthy smile, a dentist is your greatest ally. We can develop strategies that help you protect your teeth and gums. Moreover, regular checkups can help us identify the early onset of gum disease or tooth decay. Consequently, we will be able to halt its progress in time.
Hence, for an oral checkup, visit our office today. To book an appointment, call us at 979-421-9685.