Diabetes and Oral Health

During the past 10 years, much research has been undertaken on the link between diabetes and periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is the sixth leading complication of diabetes. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you are 3 to 4 times more likely to develop periodontal disease, with a higher rate of more severe levels of bone loss and gum infection.¹

What Is Diabetes? Diabetes is a serious disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone needed to convert sugar, starches, and other foods into energy. Normally, insulin helps get sugar from the blood to the body's cells, where it is used for energy. When you have diabetes, your body has trouble making and/or using insulin, so your body does not get the fuel it needs and your blood sugar stays too high. High blood sugar sets off processes that can lead to complications, such as heart, kidney, and eye disease, or other serious problems.^2,3

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you are 3 to 4 times more likely to develop periodontal disease.

Are There Different Types of Diabetes? It is estimated that more than 20 million adults and children in the United States have some form of diabetes–14 million having been diagnosed with the disease and 6 million being unaware they have it. There are different types of the disease: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes, as well as prediabetes. Most Americans (around 90%) who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.^2,3

What Is Periodontal Disease? Periodontal disease, or gum disease, is a bacterial infection of the gums, ligaments, and bone that support your teeth and hold them in the jaw. If left untreated, you may experience tooth loss. The main cause of periodontal disease is bacterial plaque, a sticky, colorless microbial film that constantly forms on your teeth. Toxins (or poisons) produced by the bacteria in plaque irritate the gums, causing infection.⁴

Diabetes Control and Periodontal Treatment

Periodontal disease may make it more difficult for you to control your blood sugar. Your body's reaction to periodontal disease can increase your blood sugar level. Consequently, it is important for patients with diabetes to treat and eliminate periodontal infection for optimal diabetes control. Periodontal treatment combined with antibiotics has been shown to improve blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes, suggesting that treating periodontal disease could decrease insulin requirements.¹

What Are the Warning Signs?

DIABETES

• Constant hunger or thirst
• Frequent urination
• Blurred vision
• Constant fatigue
• Weight loss without trying
• Poor wound healing (cuts or bruises that are slow to heal)
• Dry mouth
• Itchy, dry skin
• Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
• Most people with diabetes do not notice any warning signs

PERIODONTAL DISEASE

• Red and swollen gums that bleed often during brushing or flossing and are tender to the touch
• Gums that have pulled away from the teeth, exposing the roots
• Milky white or yellowish plaque deposits, which are usually heaviest between the teeth
• Pus between the teeth and gums accompanied by tenderness or swelling in the gum area
• A consistent foul, offensive odor from the mouth

IMPORTANT: Physicians and Dentists Need to Work Together

It is important that your dentist be kept up-to-date on your diabetic condition and treatment and that your physician be kept up-to-date on your oral condition and treatment, so that they can work together to help you control your diabetes and prevent or control periodontal disease.¹

Keep your dentist up-to-date on your diabetic condition and your physician up-to-date on your oral condition.

If your diabetic condition is well controlled, periodontal treatment would be the same for you as for a patient without diabetes. In early stages, treatment usually involves removing the plaque and calculus from the pockets around your teeth. If the periodontal disease is more severe or if your diabetes is not well controlled, treatment will be more specialized and tailored toward your specific condition. Your dentist may recommend more frequent oral prophylaxes (dental cleanings) involving scaling and root planing or may recommend periodontal surgery.¹

Diabetes and Your Mouth

Periodontal disease is not the only problem that can occur if you have diabetes. Although you might not be able to prevent these problems, you can minimize the trouble they cause you⁵:

• Dry mouth: Xerostomia occurs when your salivary glands don't produce sufficient saliva to keep your mouth moist, causing tissues in your mouth to become inflamed and sore. It can make chewing, tasting, and swallowing more difficult, as well as cause difficulty in eating, making it more difficult to control blood sugar.
• Fungal infection: Candida albicans is a fungus that normally lives inside the mouth without causing any problems. But when you have diabetes, deficient saliva in your mouth and extra sugar in your saliva allow the fungus to cause an infection called candidiasis (thrush), which appears as sore white or red areas in your mouth.
• Burning mouth syndrome: If you feel severe burning and pain in your mouth even though you don't see any problems causing it, you may have this syndrome.
• Oral surgery complications:If you need oral surgery, diabetes— particularly if poorly controlled—can complicate oral surgery. Diabetes retards healing and increases risk of infection. Your blood sugar levels also may be harder to control after oral surgery. Your dentist should work closely with your physician to minimize possible complications. If you need oral surgery, the American Diabetes Association recommends that you^:
•  Article Source: http://www.colgateprofessional.com/patienteducation/Diabetes-and-Oral-Health/article

Dental Care of Corona

Corona South Main Medical Plaza

260 E. Ontario Ave. Suite 201

Corona, CA 92879

(866) 261 6988

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dentalcareofcorona@gmail.com

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How Does Diabetes Affect Oral Health?

It is estimated that up to 20 million people have diabetes, but only two-thirds of these individuals are diagnosed. Studies have shown that diabetics are more susceptible to the development of oral infections and periodontal (gum) disease than those who do not have diabetes. Oral infections tend to be more severe in diabetic patients than non-diabetic patients. And, diabetics who do not have good control over their blood sugar levels tend to have more oral health problems. These infections occur more often after puberty and in aging patients.

How are gum disease and diabetes related?

Because diabetes reduces the body's resistance to infection, the gums are at risk for gingivitis, an inflammation usually caused by the presence of bacteria in plaque. Plaque is the sticky film that accumulates on teeth both above and below the gum line. Without regular dental check-ups, gum disease may result if gingivitis is left untreated. It also can cause inflammation and destruction of tissues surrounding and supporting teeth, gums, bone and fibers that hold the gums to the teeth.

What other types of problems could I experience?

Diabetics may experience burning mouth syndrome and fungal infections, such as thrush and oral candidiasis. Dry mouth (xerostomia) also may develop, causing an increased incidence of decay. To prevent problems with bacterial infections in the mouth, your dentist may prescribe antibiotics, medicated mouth rinses and more frequent cleanings.

How can I stay healthy?

Make sure to take extra good care of your mouth and have dental infections treated immediately. Diabetics who receive good dental care and have good insulin control typically have a better chance at avoiding gum disease.

Diet and exercise may be the most important changes that diabetics can make to improve their quality of life and their oral health. Diabetic patients should be sure both their medical and dental care providers are aware of their medical history and periodontal status. To keep teeth and gums strong, diabetic patients should be aware of their blood sugar levels in addition to having their triglycerides and cholesterol levels checked on a regular basis. These may have a direct correlation on your chances of avoiding gum disease.

What is the best time to receive dental care?

If your blood sugar is not under control, talk with both your dentist and physician about receiving elective dental care. Dental procedures should be as short and as stress free as possible. Also make morning appointments because blood glucose levels tend to be under better control at this time of day. If you have a scheduled appointment, eat and take your medications as directed. See your dentist on a regular basis, keep him or her informed of your health status and keep your mouth in good health.

Article Source: http://www.knowyourteeth.com/infobites/abc/article/?abc=D&iid=188&aid=1231

Dental Care of Corona

Corona South Main Medical Plaza

260 E. Ontario Ave. Suite 201

Corona, CA 92879

(866) 261 6988

www.coronasmiles.com

dentalcareofcorona@gmail.com

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Is Your Child At Risk For Early Childhood Decay?

The average healthy adult visits the dentist twice a year. The average healthy 2-year-old has never been to the dentist. By kindergarten, 25 percent of children have never seen a dentist, yet dental decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease in America.

The culprit? A combination of misinformation about when a child should first visit the dentist, when a parent should start caring for a child's teeth and the frequent and long-term exposure of sugary liquids to a child's teeth.

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A child should first visit the dentist six months after the eruption of the first tooth. During this first exam, the dentist can teach parents the best way to guard against early childhood tooth decay by wiping down the teeth with a damp cloth after every feeding and remind parents to limit sugary beverages.

Frequent and long-term exposure of a child's teeth to sugary liquids is commonly called baby bottle tooth decay. Most parents are aware of baby bottle tooth decay but may not know that the long-term and regular consumption of sugary liquids in a bottle or cup puts children's growing teeth at increased risk for decay.

"Unsweetened fruit juices, teas and water are always best for children to help promote oral and overall health," says Academy of General Dentistry spokesperson Cindi Sherwood, DDS.

Fruit juice causes tooth decay if children are allowed to hold a bottle, cup or box of juice in their mouth through the day.

"If left untreated, baby bottle tooth decay can result in pain and infection," says Dr. Sherwood. "Baby teeth are important because they hold the place for permanent teeth and help guide them into correct position. Severely decayed teeth may need to be extracted, which could effect the development of permanent teeth, speech and chewing."

Caring for children's teeth beginning in infancy promotes good oral health care habits for a lifetime and increases the chances of a child maintaining healthy permanent teeth.

Tips for parents to decrease the risk of early childhood tooth decay:

• Wean a child from the bottle or breast by age 1.
• Use spill-proof cups as a transitional step in the development of children, not a long-term solution.
• Don't allow children to use spill-proof cups throughout the day. Save spill-proof cups for snack and mealtimes when increased salivary activity helps clean teeth.
• Drink sugary beverages through a straw. The best spill-proof cups to protect against decay are those with collapsible rubber straws.
• Introduce oral health care habits early. Wipe baby's gums with a damp cloth after every feeding. Introduce brushing with a soft-bristle brush and water when the first tooth appears. Parents can add a pea-sized dab of fluoridated toothpaste to the toothbrush by age 2.

Article Source: http://www.knowyourteeth.com/infobites/abc/article/?abc=c&iid=296&aid=1175

Dental Care of Corona

Corona South Main Medical Plaza

260 E. Ontario Ave. Suite 201

Corona, CA 92879

(866) 261 6988

www.coronasmiles.com

dentalcareofcorona@gmail.com

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Gingivitis

What Is It?

People with gingivitis have inflamed gum tissue around their teeth, caused by bacteria found in dental plaque. Normal, healthy gums should be firmly attached to the teeth and underlying bone. They are pale pink in light-skinned people and brown, gray or mottled in people with darker complexions. If you have gingivitis, your gums are inflamed, red and swollen. They will bleed easily and may be tender. Mild gingivitis causes little pain and may be overlooked. If left unchecked, however, it can become severe. In some people, gingivitis progresses to periodontitis, which can lead to tooth loss.

Gingivitis is caused by plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that collects on your teeth, especially in crevices and spaces or around rough or broken fillings. The bacteria produce substances that can harm the gums. If plaque is not removed, it hardens into a deposit called calculus, commonly called tartar. Calculus irritates the gums and provides more surfaces for bacterial growth.

Gum disease in general and gingivitis in particular are common. Almost three in four adults over the age of 35 have some form of gum disease. People with poorly controlled diabetes and pregnant women are especially at risk. People taking oral contraceptives or systemic steroids are at increased risk of gingivitis. Certain prescription drugs — including anti-seizure medications, cyclosporin (Neoral, Sandimmune) and calcium channel blockers — can cause gum overgrowth and inflammation.

Symptoms

You will notice red, swollen, gums that bleed easily.

Diagnosis

Your dentist will examine and probe your gums and ask you if they bleed when you brush or floss your teeth. He or she will look for calculus deposits on your teeth and under the gum line.

Make sure your dentist knows the medications you are taking, in case some of them may be contributing to your gingivitis.

Expected Duration

Gingivitis can disappear within several days once a program of good oral hygiene is started. If oral hygiene remains poor, gingivitis likely will remain and could worsen to become periodontitis, which can lead to significant loss of tissue and bone around teeth.

Prevention

Brush your teeth regularly, preferably in the morning and before bed, and floss your teeth at least once a day. Make sure that you use a soft toothbrush and that the bristles reach the gum line when you brush. Have your teeth professionally cleaned every six months to one year to prevent plaque from becoming calculus and to remove any calculus that may have already formed.

Treatment

Gingivitis can be reversed if you remove bacteria from your teeth every day. At your dental office, you will receive a thorough cleaning, which will include scaling (removal of plaque at and just below the gum line). Your dentist or dental hygienist can instruct you on the most effective methods of brushing and flossing. Controlling medical conditions, such as diabetes, can make gingivitis easier to treat.

If gingivitis advances to periodontitis, additional treatment is necessary.

When To Call a Professional

If your gums become tender or bleed easily when you brush your teeth, contact your dentist.

Article Source: Colgate

Dental Care of Corona

Corona South Main Medical Plaza

260 E. Ontario Ave. Suite 201

Corona, CA 92879

(866) 261 6988

www.coronasmiles.com

dentalcareofcorona@gmail.com

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.