Is Your Diabetes Making You Gnash Your Teeth In Anguish?
Diabetes holds the distinction of being one of the few diseases which is as prolific in the causes that lead to it, as the conditions which it, in turn, brings about. When mismanaged, the disease leaves virtually no part of your body untouched, beginning at your heart and kidneys and moving forward to your eyes, teeth and even your nervous system. However, while these facets of diabetes are relatively better known, a large majority of people all over the world are still in the dark about the effect diabetes has on their teeth. Periodontal disease, which is a bacterial infection of the gums and the bone which fasten your teeth to your mouth, damages them, thus promoting decay and eventually a permanent loss of teeth. This infection further goes on to hamper your diabetes management, thus forcing the victim to deal with further diabetes complications, while also struggling to keep his periodontal disease in control.
Periodontal disease first sets in with gum inflammation, which is caused by the bacteria which develop in the plaque on your teeth. This inflammation can then spread from one tooth to another, if not checked in time especially in cases where the victim suffers from diabetes as well. This is partially because of the high glucose levels in the blood stream, which provide ample nourishment for the bacteria to thrive. Diabetes also thickens the blood-carrying veins in your body, thus impairing the circulation of blood, which starves your teeth of oxygen and nourishment, thereby weakening their ability to fight disease.
Like most other forms of infection, periodontal disease has distinct phases of development, developing into the more mature phases quickly and surreptitiously when given the opportunity to do so. The first stage, where the bacterial infection affects the gums and aggravates them is known as Gingivitis. This phase is relatively easy to overcome and can be dealt with by simply brushing and flossing everyday while also getting your teeth regularly cleaned by your dentist. On the other hand, if these basic measures are not followed, the disease soon proceeds to its next phase, which is a far more difficult one to correct.
Untreated Gingivitis soon sees the plaque getting deposited under the gums, growing harder and denser until the gum tissue finally pulls away from the teeth, creating gaps inside which the infection flourishes. This stage can cause tremendous damage to the bone which holds your teeth in place, weakening it until the tooth is finally lost. The transition from Gingivitis to periodontitis is so gradual that if you decide to wait for toothaches or wobbly teeth, you have already let this disease progress to its more mature phase. To stop the disease en route, alert your dentist as soon as you find that your regular cleaning and brushing is not impacting your gum inflammation as it should. At this stage, it also helps to contact a periodontist for specialized care and treatment.
Treating periodontitis involves loosening the plaque and infected tissue off your teeth and gums, so that your healthy gum tissue can re-attach itself to your teeth. This treatment is only successful if you follow it up with regular brushing or flossing, else your periodontist will need to surgically operate your gums and thus try to rid your teeth of the infection. This process, though painful and tedious plays a very critical role in saving your teeth, without which, the only recourse available to you is to extract the tooth to prevent the infection from spreading to other, unaffected teeth.
Diabetics need to go the extra mile with discussing their diabetes treatment and control with the dentist, as periodontal treatment may require insulin and meal schedule adjustments. A wiser option would be to have your physician confer with your dentist before treatment is meted out, so that any unforeseen complications do not arise from contradictory patterns of treatment. If your diabetes is poorly controlled and your glucose levels wayward, your dentist may even recommend that you put off your treatment until your diabetes is in better shape, as this could pose a significant impediment in both the treatment of your periodontal disease and recovery.
The healing process that follows periodontal treatment may be elongated and delayed in case of diabetics on account of the poor blood circulation. Poor diabetes management may make the process even more tedious, thus making it even more important that you stick to your oral hygiene regime to avoid any complications from the gingivitis phase. Diabetes can be a dangerous foe to harbor if you don’t pay attention to keeping your condition under your control however, terrific diabetes management also means that you may never have to face these untoward consequences. If you still haven’t taken stringent measures to curb your diabetes, it’s time to do that right now! Take control of your diabetes today and tomorrow will be a brighter and a much healthier day!
