Individuals with many types of health conditions are often affected by the state of their oral health and hygiene. This is especially true of diabetics and there are a number of things your dentist wants you to know if you have diabetes. Diabetics have a dramatically increased risk of periodontal gum disease. While the disease itself doesn't cause gingivitis, it can make the gum infection progress at a faster rate and cause longer consequences. In turn, this type of gum disease can end up making it harder to control your sugars and the end result is a vicious circle that is tough to keep on top of.
The first thing your dentist wants you to know if you are diabetic is that any type of condition in your mouth will affect your entire body. Your mouth is literally an open connection to the rest of your body. Any type of bacteria that is ingested can easily travel to your bloodstream through your mouth and cause inflammatory changes in the rest of your body. Increased elevation is the body's natural response to infection and can, in turn, decrease your body's sensitivity to insulin. Diabetes is a disease characterized by your body's decreased response to insulin and this makes it even harder to control your blood sugars.
If you have diabetes, your dentist also wants you to know that the early stages of gum disease are most dangerous because they are silent. There are very few symptoms early on and so it is a disease that is hard to catch before it is extensive. By the time gums are sore and bleeding, the gum disease has advanced enough to cause erosion and even loosen support for teeth. If you have noticed that your gums are sore and bleed easily when you brush, it isn't too late to reverse effects of gum disease, but the disorder has already advanced.
Lastly, your dentist also wants you to know that it may be important to schedule visits more often if you have diabetes. Since early gum disease is so silent, it may be important to visit with your oral healthcare provider and schedule cleanings on a regular basis so that they can check for gum disease. While the general population should visit their dental office every six months, diabetics should visit more frequently. It is often recommended that diabetics schedule dental appointments every three to four months.