Understanding the Link Between Diabetes and Gum Disease
We often think of our oral health in isolation, but there are lots of secondary conditions that can arise as a result of problems with your teeth and gums. It’s also possible for other health conditions to trigger problems with your oral health.
This is certainly the case with diabetes, which can lead to a cascade of problems with your oral health. Oral health problems can also be an early indicator for this condition, so early intervention could be key to limiting the damage.
In this guide, we are exploring the link between diabetes and gum disease, so you can understand how one influences the other.
Through early intervention, you may be able to address the early signs of pre-diabetes and enjoy improved health outcomes as a result. And if you suffer from diabetes, knowledge of how this might trigger gum disease can help you to avoid the condition.
How are diabetes and gum disease linked?
In general, we see high instances of gum disease in patients with diabetes. This link is thought to be down to a number of factors:
Poorly controlled diabetes increases the risk of developing gum disease
Having gum disease can make it more difficult to manage blood sugar levels, which can lead to further issues
The conditions that allow gum disease to thrive can also increase your risk of developing diabetes. This is not guaranteed, but if your gum disease is linked to poor health management and diet, then you could also be at risk of eventually developing diabetes.
How does diabetes lead to gum disease?
Diabetes creates the ideal conditions for gum disease to thrive. Even if you generally take good care of your teeth, you will be at increased risk of developing gum disease. This is why it is vital to include regular dental checkups as part of your diabetes management care. This applies to patients with both Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes.
Diabetes leads to higher glucose levels in your blood. This will lead to high glucose levels in saliva, which will aggravate inflammation in your gums.
Alongside changes in the composition of your saliva, you might also experience a reduction in saliva production, which can lead to dry mouth. A dry mouth creates the perfect conditions for gum disease to thrive.
Diabetes impacts your immune system and makes it harder for your body to heal itself. If you have inflammation in your gums, your body will have a harder time repairing this by itself. You’ll also be more prone to infections.
Diabetes can damage the blood vessels, particularly those in the gums. This will leave you more vulnerable to damage and this can allow gum disease to take hold.
How does gum disease impact diabetes?
The link goes both ways. Patients with diabetes are more likely to develop gum disease, but gum disease can also impact how you manage your diabetes.
Gum disease can increase blood sugar levels in those with diabetes, which makes diabetes much more difficult to manage.
The kind of diet that might increase your risk of developing diabetes will also put you at increased risk for gum disease. This means high sugar and highly processed food.
What can diabetes patients do to protect their health?
There are steps you can take to help make it easier to manage both gum disease and diabetes. You might need to be more attentive with your oral health than other patients might be, but by caring for your gums, you can make it easier to manage your diabetes.
Visit the dentist regularly and make sure you’re also visiting the dental hygienist. This will put you in an excellent position to be able to catch gum disease early. Dental hygiene cleanings will also reduce the risk of gum disease by removing plaque, tartar and calculus buildup from the teeth and the gum line.
Brush your teeth carefully twice a day and make sure you are also flossing between the teeth. As much as 40% of the tooth surface is between the teeth, so you won’t be as effective if you are only brushing. Switching to an electric toothbrush can help you to improve your brushing technique.
If you smoke, you should consider quitting. Smoking will increase the risk of developing dry mouth and it will also allow bacteria to thrive in your mouth. This will make it harder to control your gum disease and this can also cause your diabetes to become more difficult to manage.
A note on gestational diabetes
If you have sudden onset diabetes during pregnancy, this can be confusing and stressful to navigate. It’s vital to visit the dentist throughout your pregnancy as you will be at higher risk of certain oral health conditions. Book an appointment with our team today if you would like to learn more about managing diabetes and gum disease.
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