In the United States, 29.1 million people have diabetes. That represents 9.3 of the population of the entire country. Every year are diagnosed 1.7 million new cases, and 8.1 million people don’t even know they have diabetes.

Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. Most of the food we eat is transformed into glucose, or sugar, which is used by the body to generate energy. The pancreas, an organ that is near the stomach, produces a hormone called insulin to facilitate the transport of glucose to the body’s cells. When you are suffering from diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin or cannot use its own insulin properly. This causes sugar to accumulate in the blood.

Diabetes can lead to serious health complications such as heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and lower extremity amputations. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.

There are 2 type of diabetes. In Type I, the body doesn’t make enough insulin, a hormone that carries sugar from your blood to the cells that need it for energy. In Type II, the body stops responding to insulin. Both cases result in high blood sugar levels, which can cause problems with your eyes, nerves, kidneys, heart and other parts of your body.

What does this have to do with your teeth? Is there a way to protect my teeth from diabetes?

There are some Symptoms when Diabetes is untreated. The warning signs of diabetes affect every part of your body. It will be necessary to make a blood test and find out the level of sugar in your blood. You may feel excessively thirsty or have to urinate a lot. Weight loss and fatigue are other common symptoms. Diabetes can also cause you to lose consciousness if your blood sugar falls too low.

Here are some dental issues caused by untreated diabetes:

You may have less saliva, causing your mouth to feel dry. (Dry mouth is also caused by certain medications.)
Because saliva protects your teeth, you’re also at a higher risk of cavities.
Gums may become inflamed and bleed often (gingivitis).
You may have problems tasting food.
You may experience delayed wound healing.
You may be susceptible to infections inside of your mouth.
For children with diabetes, teeth may erupt at an age earlier than is typical.

Why People with Diabetes Are More Prone to Gum Disease

Bacteria in your mouth will end up been a periodontal disease if is not treated on time. This chronic, inflammatory disease can destroy your gums, all the tissues holding your teeth and even your bones.

Periodontal disease is the most common dental disease affecting those living with diabetes, affecting nearly 22% of those diagnosed. Especially with increasing age, poor blood sugar control increases the risk for gum problems. In fact, people with diabetes are at a higher risk for gum problems because of poor blood sugar control. As with all infections, serious gum disease may cause blood sugar to rise. This makes diabetes harder to control because you are more susceptible to infections and are less able to fight the bacteria invading the gums.

For optimal wellness, here are some oral health tips:

Control your blood sugar levels. Change to a healthy diet and even do exercises can help. Good blood sugar control will also help your body fight any bacterial or fungal infections in your mouth and help relieve dry mouth caused by diabetes.
Avoid smoking.
If you wear any type of denture, clean it each day.
Make sure to brush twice a day with a soft brush and floss correctly daily.
See your dentist for regular checkups.

For more information please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Mauricio Hervas at Implantation Dental Center 954.476.0770. And visit our website www.implantationdentalcenter.com