When I had a badly decayed tooth extracted, I got a partial denture to fill in the gap. I didn't mind it at first, because I was just so happy to have my painful tooth out of my mouth. Over time, I began to get tired of taking it out at night. I asked my dentist if I was could get a dental implant, and he said that my gum disease did not make me a good candidate, but a fixed bridge may be a good option for me. I went with his suggestion, and I have no regrets. I love feeling like I have a real tooth again that I don't have to remove at night. I created this blog to remind other people with a missing tooth that they have many replacement options, and if one is not for you, then try another that may be right.
People with diabetes often face a much a higher risk of developing dental health problems. This is especially true for individuals who have yet to get their diabetes under control via lifestyle changes and/or medication. The reason for this is, when diabetes goes untreated, this disease will impair the body's ability to fight off bacterial infections. Since bacteria levels are naturally high in the mouth, this impairment will often lead to a wide variety of dental health problems. Below you will learn more about the dental issues that can result from this disease and what you can do to prevent your diabetes from negatively impacting your overall dental health.
Gum Disease
While there are many factors that can contribute to the development of severe gum disease, it is important to understand that this disease is ultimately caused by a bacterial infection. Consequently, individuals who have diabetes will be at a higher risk for developing this disease.
Severe gum disease can result in receding, sore, and bleeding gums. This disease can also result in pain and tooth loss if left untreated.
Gum disease is often treatable if caught in the early stages. However, your dentist may not be able to undo the damage caused by this disease if it is allowed to reek havoc on your dental health for an extended period of time. Therefore, you should always notify your dentist immediately if you are experiencing any of the symptoms associated with gum disease.
Thrush
Thrush is a fungal infection that will often present as a thick white coating of the mouth and tongue. This infection is extremely common in people with uncontrolled diabetes. This is because uncontrolled diabetes will result in a high level of sugar in your saliva. Thrush feeds off these high sugar levels.
If you are diabetic and smoke cigarettes, you should know that you are at an even higher risk for developing this fungal infection. This is because cigarette smoke will negatively impact the flow of blood to your gums and will ultimately provide thrush with the perfect breeding grounds.
In order to avoid this type of infection, be sure to inform your dentist of your risk factors so that they can help you develop a prevention plan.
Slow Healing
People with diabetes will often heal much slower from dental procedures. This is because diabetes will often have a negative impact on blood flow. If blood is not flowing properly to the treatment site, you will heal much slower. This slowing of the healing process can ultimately leave you susceptible to a variety of infections.
Thankfully, taking a proactive approach to treating you diabetes can help to limit the impact that your disease will have on your ability to heal and your ability to maintain good oral health. Talk to experts like Tony Parsley, DMD for more information.
Share26 March 2015
