A good oral health has so many benefits; a healthy smile not just gives a great self-confidence that helps you in careers and relationships but also transforms your visual appearance and improves the health of your mouth and your body too. Unfortunately, if you have diabetes, you are at higher risk for gum problems, besides other complications associated with diabetes, such as heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. Around 70% of diabetes patients die because of heart and vessel related diseases as heart attack or stroke. It’s the poor blood glucose control that makes your gum vulnerable to problems.
According to some emerging researches, the relationship between serious gum disease and diabetes is mutual. That means, it is not just the people with diabetes who are vulnerable to serious gum disease, but serious gum disease may also affect blood glucose control and add to the progression of diabetes.
People with diabetes, as per researches, are at higher risk for oral health problems, such as gingivitis (an early stage of gum disease) and periodontitis (serious gum disease). This increased risk is attributable to the fact that people with diabetes are more prone to bacterial infection and have a reduced capability to fight bacteria that attack the gums.
Some of the most common diabetes associated oral health problems are tooth decay, periodontal (gum) disease, salivary gland dysfunction, fungal infections, lichen planus and lichenoid reactions (inflammatory skin disease), infection and delayed healing and taste impairment.
Source: The Times of India
