Gum disease and diabetes
Dr. Arnold Nshimye is a dentist at Code Clinic, Kamwokya
What you need to know:
- Gingivitis is reversible through cleaning, in a procedure referred to as scaling and polishing performed by a dentist.
Gum disease begins with an accumulation of microorganisms including bacteria around your teeth, forming plaque. This plaque irritates your gums and brings inflammation (gingivitis) which manifests with reddening, swelling and sometimes bleeding of the gums, especially when brushing your teeth.
Gingivitis is reversible through cleaning, in a procedure referred to as scaling and polishing performed by a dentist. Left untreated, it will progress into a severe form of gum disease called periodontitis, where the gums start to pull away from the teeth (gum recession) and destruction of the tissues holding the teeth in place resulting in teeth mobility and eventually teeth loss. Periodontitis may also involve destruction of the jaw bone. At this stage, your dentist will work with a gum specialist (periodontist) to manage the condition.
Diabetes, which is a chronic disease that affects how the body processes sugar will cause high blood sugar when not controlled. High blood sugar slows the body’s ability to heal and repair. Therefore, once the inflammation and disease process is started, it will progress faster into teeth loss from periodontitis. On the other hand, chronic inflammation from gum disease will also keep the body in a subtle state of stress causing among other things, a rise in blood sugar levels and for diabetic patients, this could result in failure to regulate and control blood sugar levels.
Studies show that periodontal treatment prevents complications, improves sugar control and reduces treatment costs in diabetics; so it is not only important for oral health but may also improves general health (Genco, Graziani et al. 2020).
It is, therefore, imperative for a diabetic patient to prevent the onset of gum disease by maintaining good oral hygiene through habits such as brushing your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, flossing regularly and visiting your dentist every after six months for oral checkup and cleaning to prevent buildup of plaque. You should also strictly adhere to the management of diabetes by your physician.
The author, Dr. Arnold Nshimye is a dentist at Code Clinic, Kamwokya
