Importance of Oral Health to Diabetic Patients.
The American Diabetes Association defines diabetes as a serious disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. Approximately 18.2 million Americans have diabetes; however, 5.2 million of them have not been diagnosed. Good oral health not only keeps the mouth and gums free from infection, but also might have a significant impact on diabetes control.
Diabetic patients are three-to-four times more likely to develop chronic periodontal infections, which, like any other infection in the body, can impair their ability to process and/or utilize insulin. Infections may cause diabetes to be more difficult to control, and the infection may be more severe than someone without diabetes.
Diabetic patients have a higher incidence of periodontal disease, and they tend to be more severe. They may experience acute episodes of more aggressive disease activity leading to tooth loss. This can hamper their ability to chew or digest food, in turn having an impact on their ability to maintain proper nutrition and control of blood sugar levels.
Keeping diabetes under control will make patients less likely to develop periodontal disease. Studies have shown that poorly controlled diabetic patients respond differently to bacterial plaque at the gum line than well controlled patients. They also have more destructive inflammatory activities in their gum tissue causing more severe loss of gums, bone and teeth.
Just as diabetes can increase a patient’s chance of having periodontal diseases, research shows that periodontal disease makes it more difficult for people who have diabetes to control their blood sugar. It is a two-way relationship. Upon determining a treatment plan, the periodontist and physician can work together to help the patient control both diabetes and periodontal disease.
Article: http://www.perio.org/consumer/mbc.diabetes.htm
