Diabetes: The 'toothy' Side Of The Tale

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 takes root when bacteria begin to develop in the plaque around your teeth. This causes your gum to become inflamed, and can occur in a single tooth, or spread all over your jaw. Diabetics are common prey for periodontal disease as the high glucose levels in their bloodstream allows the bacteria nourishment to feed on. Also, the poor blood circulation most diabetics suffer from further compounds the problem, as the teeth when starved of oxygen and nourishment are quick to contract disease.

Periodontal disease is characterized by two distinct phases of development, beginning at a mild, almost imperceptible stage, which is quick to move on when opportunity strikes. At its earliest stage, periodontal disease inflames and aggravates the gums making them swollen, and can even cause bleeding. This stage is known as Gingivitis and is a relatively milder phase to deal with as correctional measures include simple brushing and flossing of your teeth, while also getting the dentist to clean them regularly. However, if these measures are not implemented, the disease proceeds to the next phase called periodontitis, which is far more severe and painful.

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.

Periodontitis is treated by detaching the plaque and infected tissue from your teeth and gums to avoid the infection from spreading to other parts of your jaw. This is followed by a period of recovery where your healthy gum tissue rejoins your teeth, which you need to encourage by regularly brushing and flossing. Treatment at an even later stage will involve surgically extracting the plaque and the disease-bearing tissue, which is a longer and more tedious process. However, pay attention to the fact that these are the only remedial measures that can save your teeth from falling off, or extracting your unhealthy teeth to protect the non-diseased ones.

As a victim of diabetes, it is essential you discuss your treatment and diabetes control with your dentist, as your insulin dosage and meal schedule may need to be altered as per your periodontal treatment. A more foolproof course of action would be to have your physician talk to your dentist prior to your treatment to ensure that the treatment of one condition does not interfere with that of the other. Your dentist may also recommend that you postpone your periodontal treatment in case your diabetes is poorly managed as it may cause certain challenging complications.

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!

Article Source: Main Articles

Julia Hanf has authored the book How To Play the Diabetes Diet Game and Win. Through a real life emergency Julia figured out how to live diabetes free. Meet Julia at Your Diabetes Cure at www.yourdiabetescure.com and learn more about how you can avert diabetes.

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