Diabetes and Your Mouth

by Bob Fleming

We diabetics have to pay even more attention to our teeth and gums and the rest of the population. We get more cavities, gum disease and tooth infections, and those infections can cause our blood sugar to rise, which starts the whole vicious cycle over again. Here are some of the mouth problems we have to look for.

Plaque

Plaque is, of course, a problem for many people who don't have diabetes. However, it's caused by starches and sugars, and of course we have more than our fair share of those! So diabetics are highly susceptible to plaque.

Dry mouth

Sometimes my mouth is so dry in the morning that I can hardly speak---I'm sure you know how that feels. But it's more than just inconvenient---it's dangerous to the health of our mouths. You see, saliva washes away many of the bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease. Dry mouth cuts the amount of saliva available for this, so the result is more cavities and gum disease. Dry mouth sometimes also creates inflammation of the soft tissue inside the mouth, which makes eating difficult and unpleasant.

Artificial saliva substitutes are available and you dentist can tell you about them. however, you can usually stimulate your own saliva by sucking on a sugar-free hard candy. I like no-sugar-added Ricola for this. And of course, drinking water helps too.

Fungal infections

Not only do we diabetics have less saliva than we need, but the saliva we do h ave is high in sugar content, so it's double trouble for us. This can cause a fungal infection called candiasis, which you may also know as thrush. It produces sore white or red spots inside the mouth. There is medication that can help with this too, so ask your dentist.

As a diabetic, you must pay great attention to oral hygiene. Brush your teeth twice a day, and floss daily. Examine your gums for signs of problems---and always visit your dentist at leat twice a year. Make that appointment now!