When you have diabetes, you have a lot to keep track of, from monitoring your blood sugar and food intake to ensuring that your general health is not adversely affected by high blood sugar. Along with your feet, eyes, kidneys, and other bodily functions, your gums can also be affected by the disease. If you do not already have them checked, there are a couple of reasons why you need to have your gums routinely examined for gum disease when you have diabetes.
1. Diabetes Can Make Gum Disease Progress Faster
One reason why you should have your gums checked for gum disease is that diabetes can cause a faster progression of gum disease than in non-diabetics. There are a couple of factors at play that can cause this rapid progression.
First, one of the primary causes of gum problems is bacteria that feed on the buildup of tartar and plaque along the gum line. These bacteria will also feed on the high amounts of sugar in your bloodstream, causing them to multiply more quickly and infecting your gums faster.
Second, as someone with diabetes, your body does not fight off infection or heal as quickly because of the high sugar content in your blood. Since your body cannot fight off even the early stages of gingivitis, it can progress quickly into more severe problems.
2. Gum Disease Can Adversely Affect Your Blood Sugar Levels
Another reason why you need to make sure that you are diagnosed and treated for gum disease in its early stages is that it can adversely affect your blood sugar levels. When your gums become infected and inflamed, the body's immune system reacts, triggering glucose levels to rise even more.
As your blood sugar levels go up, the problems with the gums would then be exacerbated by the higher levels. A loop will occur where the high blood glucose levels feed the bacteria, which then causes inflammation and infection in your gums. This, in turn, raises your body's sugar levels, and the cycle will keep repeating.
If you have diabetes, it is imperative to your overall health that you have your mouth checked once or twice a year. Doing so can help catch the development of gum disease at its early stages so that treatment can be made as soon as a diagnosis is made. If it has been a while since you have had this done, make an appointment with a dentist near you.
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