Type 2 Diabetes - How Diabetes Affects Your Dental Health!
Having type 2 diabetes wages war on virtually every area of your body.
One area where the emphasis is often overlooked is in your mouth.
When a diabetic allows their blood sugar levels to become elevated, the damage to the teeth and gums can be severe.
If this condition is not controlled, the result could turn catastrophic...
Gingivitis.
This is the early onset of gum disease which starts from a buildup of bacteria that begins to attack your sensitive gums.
Bacteria is naturally present in your mouth, which is why brushing and flossing is so important to rid your mouth of as much of this growth as possible.
But sugar and starches accelerate this growth even more.
This growth very quickly turns into a buildup known as plaque.
The longer plaque remains on your gums, the more damage it inflicts.
Periodontitis.
When gingivitis is left to its destructive ways, it evolves into periodontitis.
Now, the damage begins to impact much more than just the surface of your gums.
Periodontitis goes to work destroying everything from the soft tissue in the gums to the actual bone itself.
The bones become weakened and, as a result, your teeth begin to loosen and eventually fall out.
Cavities.
Also known as tooth decay, cavities are created when bacteria mixes with the foods we eat and begins to cover our teeth.
While the entire surface of the tooth is at risk, the most obvious area that can sustain damage is the top of the tooth where the natural pit forms.
Since plaque contains acid, the more plaque present, the higher the level of acid that will also be present.
Plaque levels are also severely impacted by higher blood sugar levels.
So in essence, the more your blood sugar is out of control, the more plaque you have and the more damage it is causing.
With so many factors waging war inside your mouth, what can you do to fight back? There are several important parts of a healthy mouth regimen:
One area where the emphasis is often overlooked is in your mouth.
When a diabetic allows their blood sugar levels to become elevated, the damage to the teeth and gums can be severe.
If this condition is not controlled, the result could turn catastrophic...
Gingivitis.
This is the early onset of gum disease which starts from a buildup of bacteria that begins to attack your sensitive gums.
Bacteria is naturally present in your mouth, which is why brushing and flossing is so important to rid your mouth of as much of this growth as possible.
But sugar and starches accelerate this growth even more.
This growth very quickly turns into a buildup known as plaque.
The longer plaque remains on your gums, the more damage it inflicts.
Periodontitis.
When gingivitis is left to its destructive ways, it evolves into periodontitis.
Now, the damage begins to impact much more than just the surface of your gums.
Periodontitis goes to work destroying everything from the soft tissue in the gums to the actual bone itself.
The bones become weakened and, as a result, your teeth begin to loosen and eventually fall out.
Cavities.
Also known as tooth decay, cavities are created when bacteria mixes with the foods we eat and begins to cover our teeth.
While the entire surface of the tooth is at risk, the most obvious area that can sustain damage is the top of the tooth where the natural pit forms.
Since plaque contains acid, the more plaque present, the higher the level of acid that will also be present.
Plaque levels are also severely impacted by higher blood sugar levels.
So in essence, the more your blood sugar is out of control, the more plaque you have and the more damage it is causing.
With so many factors waging war inside your mouth, what can you do to fight back? There are several important parts of a healthy mouth regimen:
- the most important point to remember is to keep your blood sugar levels under control.
This is the key to everything.
The more lax you are with maintaining proper control, the more the health of your mouth will be in jeopardy.
- brush and floss regularly.
We have all heard these words of wisdom our entire lives.
There is good reason for this! - see your dentist.
We should all see our dentist at least twice a year.
Diabetics tend to need to see them more often to ensure any damaging effects in your mouth are caught early on.
Source...