Learn Why it’s So Important to Keep Your Teeth Clean

Anyone with diabetes knows it’s no laughing matter. Eating the right diet and checking glucose levels all the time is critical to diabetics’ healthy years. However, that’s where a lot of diabetics fall short. If you or a loved one is diabetic, please read on and find out that your blood glucose is just as important as managing your oral care.

It should go without saying that brushing and flossing after every meal or sugary drink increases the chance of living longer. Oral diseases, such as gum disease and periodontitis can cause heart disease. The sooner you brush and floss after each instance means less plaque and tartar will form, thereby reducing the chance for gum disease to begin.

How Often Do You Really See the Dentist?

Routine dental checkups must become part of any diabetic’s general health care because most that do not see their dentist regularly are two-to-three times more likely to develop inflamed gums, tooth decay and chronic bad breath. These are all signs of periodontitis.

If it’s left untreated, diabetics’ oral disease progresses much more rapidly than a person without diabetes.  This leads to faster tooth loss, and it’s also been shown to play a role on their glycemic index.  Blood sugar control is critical, and missing many teeth can make it difficult for them to have a well-balanced diet.

Bad breath is caused by systemic issues like diabetes, too. So maintaining the correct blood glucose levels helps give diabetics fresher breath—if they are taking care of their mouths properly.

24 million Americans have adult diabetes and most are completely unaware of this fact. Sadly, oftentimes, the dentist is the first person to see their patient might have diabetes based on their symptoms.  For example, burning mouth syndrome and dry mouth is a common symptom of diabetics. Sometimes, drinking plenty of water and chewing gum provides a little relief.

Diabetic Oral Dental Care Routine

• Brush teeth, tongue and gums twice per day
• Brush at least 2 full minutes per day
• Floss twice per day, stimulating the gum tissue in between and around the entire tooth
• See Dr. Hauser, DDS, at least twice a year
• Get a professional dental cleaning twice a year
• This is mandatory for diabetics to maintain in conjunction with their blood glucose levels

The last thing a person with diabetes wants is gingivitis or gum disease. “Gingiva” means gums. “Itis” means inflammation.  A regular person with gingivitis or periodontitis is dangerous enough to their overall health, but it can be catastrophic for a diabetic who has a harder time fighting infections, heart disease, and maintaining their sugar levels.

No–it’s Not Normal for Gums to Bleed

When brushing, gums should not bleed. If the proper diet, exercise, nutrition and oral care is implemented, bleeding gums is not normal.  The first step is to have one of the professional, registered dental hygienists at Lakefront Family Dentistry clean your teeth. This helps remove the plaque and tartar buildup immediately.

However, some people surprisingly rely on their dentist and hygienist to clean their teeth twice a year but don’t manage their oral health care very well the rest of the year. It takes all parties involved to ensure the proper treatment and routine maintenance is done every single day. Do not rely on trips to the dentist for what should be taken care of every day at home.

Regular Cleaning or Scaling and Root Planing–it Depends on Your Degree of Oral Care

Scaling and root planing is for patients who have let their dental hygiene go and the bad bacteria and calculus has gone below the gum line. These issues irritate the teeth, and depending upon the severity, bone loss and tooth loss will occur. Some disease can be stopped and reversed, but the expense and time increases with the progression of the disease. Often, if the gum has receded to a certain extent, it will not grow back to where it used to be.

A regular tooth cleaning is removing any deposits around the crowns of the teeth, including plaque and tartar that has accumulated above the gums.  If the disease has gone further into your gums, which means you are usually losing bone around teeth, that’s when the need for root planing and scaling is required. Dr. Hauser always numbs the patients so there is no pain and very little discomfort.

Diabetics must take their health seriously. Given the information and options for long-term, healthy living, it’s common sense to take the extra steps and make sure your oral health care doesn’t negate all the other factors taken into consideration due to diabetes.

Call Lakefront Family Dentistry at (951) 244-9495 or Make an Appointment Online Today and Meet with Dr. Hauser, DDS. He’ll answer any and all questions you may have about your oral care and write up the recommendation treatment course so you can improve the quality of life through excellent hygiene!