Dental health and diabetes

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Dental health for

Diabetics

If you’re a diabetic or your know someone who is diabetic then there are a few things to consider in terms of your dental health in this article just want to make you aware about how to maintain your dental health.
Diet – the diet will have a major impact on the health of the teeth and the gums as a diabetic you should consult a diabetic nutritionist although the main recommendations are to have regular meals at intervals with high fibre high carbohydrates and to avoid sugars. The amount of food you intake should relate to your level of physical activity on that day and this will help maintain a stable blood sugar level
What to consider for dental appointments – if your diet is well maintained and your diabetes is stable then a visit to the dentist should be a straight forward occurrence there are a few things to bear in mind
1, If your having long appointments then there may be a risk of hypoglycaemia so it’s a good idea to either eat before hand or ask if you can break in-between, or better may be to keep to short appointments and make them a few days apart.
2, It also may be a good idea to test your blood sugar before an appointment to assess if your will be able to cope without eating for a while (as having some dental procedures can mean that you may find it difficult to eat for an hour or so or even longer)
3,  Always make your dentist aware of your diabetes and they will treat you accordingly and also help you
Some of the effects of diabetes on dental health and their management
Generally if the diabetes is well maintained then your dental health will not be an issue although there are a few issues to be aware of
1, Periodontal disease or gum disease – there is evidence to show that diabetics do tend to be more at risk at developing gum disease and your dentist will be able to asses this and also advice you on your oral health regime to maintain healthy gums.
2, Dry mouth – some people can suffer from a dry mouth and there are ways to manage this one is by regular sipping water again if this is something that you suffer from as a result of your diabetes then consult your dentist as well as your doctor
3, Teeth – if the diet is not controlled then there can be a higher risk of developing decay the use of a high fluoride toothpaste may be recommended to reduce the risk of developing decay and also regular visits to the dentist
if you would like to know more then please give us a call on 01772 717316 or email on info@lifestyledental.co.uk

Related articles

• Diabetes and Your Teeth (everydayhealth.com)