World Diabetes Day, November 14th....Dental-Diabetes Correlation

Did you know that your teeth/gums and diabetes can sometimes be directly linked?

People with poorly controlled diabetes can have problems with their teeth and gums. It can get so bad that they end up losing their teeth, in addition to other complications throughout their body (loss of toes, etc.). Diabetes can also cause people to have dry mouth, which makes gum disease worse, and saliva protects your teeth.

Some of the possible signs that you may have gum damage from diabetes are: red/sore swollen gums, bleeding gums, gums pulling away from your teeth, bad breath, a bite that feels different, dentures that do not fit right.

Research suggests that treating gum disease can help improve blood sugar control in patients with diabetes, which helps decrease the progression of the disease.

This is why it is so important to take care of your whole self, which includes your mouth. If you or someone you know has diabetes, make sure dental care is included in your/their care!

Picture credit to Medicaldevice-network.com
Information resources: The Diabetes Council and ADA