Because your mouth is the point of entry for all the food you eat—nutritious and not so nutritious—it has an impact on every part of your body: bones, muscles, organs, joints and systems. But did you know that just the condition of your mouth is linked to your overall health? It’s true. Scientists and researchers have discovered what is called the oral-systemic connection that specifically points to the link between gum disease and your general health. In this blog, Dr. Mick would like to focus on the association between gum disease and diabetes. Read on to learn more about this from your dentist, Columbus.
What Is Gum Disease?
Before tackling the question of how diabetes and gum disease are related, let’s first spell out what gum disease is. Gum disease is a bacterial infection. The human mouth is chock full of millions of bacteria. Combined with mucus and food particles, these bacteria form plaque, that sticky and colorless film that builds in the mouth day in and day out. Brushing and flossing help to eliminate plaque. But miss a few days and plaque begins to harden and form tartar (also called calculus), which brushing cannot remove. Your dentist in Columbus or the dental hygienist will need to perform a professional cleaning to get rid of tartar.
Without this professional cleaning, the bacteria trapped in tartar begin to invade gum tissue, causing inflammation and bleeding gums. This is gingivitis. Left untreated, gingivitis advances to become periodontitis, which is marked by enlarged gum pockets and destruction of bone around your teeth, loosening teeth and eventually tooth loss if the disease is not halted.
Diabetes and Periodontal Disease
People who have diabetes are more susceptible to gum disease than people who are not diabetic, perhaps because having diabetes increases your chances of infection. In fact, some physicians consider periodontal disease a complication of diabetes. And for people who don’t control their diabetes well, the risks for gingivitis and periodontitis are even greater.
In addition, studies show that the relationship between diabetes and gum disease is a two-way street in that this bacterial infection may make controlling blood sugar levels more difficult for people with diabetes. In fact, advanced periodontitis can increase blood sugar, thereby increasing the risk for diabetic complications.
Contact Our Office Today
If you or a loved one has diabetes, then taking care of teeth and gums is all the more important in order to avoid the oral and general health consequences of gum disease. Call Columbus dentist Dr. Mick to schedule a checkup where we’ll clean your teeth to remove plaque or recommend the appropriate gum disease therapy if necessary.