Diabetes, Gum Disease and Inflammation
A Short Primer:
People who have diabetes are at a higher risk of developing gum disease. In diabetics, periodontal disease is typically worse than people who dont have diabetes. Research confirms that diabetes makes gum disease more severe. The effects include deeper pockets in the gum around the teeth, more loss of bone and more loss of periodontal ligaments that connect the teeth to the alveolar bone. This is especially true of those whose diabetes is not under control and for those whove had diabetes for many years. The earlier a person develops diabetes and the longer they have had it, especially if they have had problems controlling it, the more susceptible they are to periodontal disease. And, once they get it, the more destructive it is.
The diabetes-periodontal disease connection forms a closed loop and may be the strongest connection in medicine. Just as diabetes makes gum disease worse, gum disease affects how well diabetics can control their blood glucose levels.
If you are not diabetic, do you know if you are at risk? I recommended at the very least a diabetic risk screening and a periodontal (gum) evaluation.
For more information ,contact Zeny N. Ocean DDS ,1155 West 4th Street, Suite 211, Reno, NV 89503 Phone: 775-329-1333.
People who have diabetes are at a higher risk of developing gum disease. In diabetics, periodontal disease is typically worse than people who dont have diabetes. Research confirms that diabetes makes gum disease more severe. The effects include deeper pockets in the gum around the teeth, more loss of bone and more loss of periodontal ligaments that connect the teeth to the alveolar bone. This is especially true of those whose diabetes is not under control and for those whove had diabetes for many years. The earlier a person develops diabetes and the longer they have had it, especially if they have had problems controlling it, the more susceptible they are to periodontal disease. And, once they get it, the more destructive it is.
The diabetes-periodontal disease connection forms a closed loop and may be the strongest connection in medicine. Just as diabetes makes gum disease worse, gum disease affects how well diabetics can control their blood glucose levels.
If you are not diabetic, do you know if you are at risk? I recommended at the very least a diabetic risk screening and a periodontal (gum) evaluation.
For more information ,contact Zeny N. Ocean DDS ,1155 West 4th Street, Suite 211, Reno, NV 89503 Phone: 775-329-1333.
Dentistry and Diabetes
Periodontal disease and diabetes are dentists doing enough? With a growing population of diabetics (presently 25 million) and pre-diabetics (60 million), I think we are falling short. Gum disease plays an important role in diabetes. There is significant evidence that periodontal (gum) disease may contribute to higher rates of premature death in diabetics. While many people know about diabetic complications of the eyes, kidneys, nerves, blood vessels, and heart, few know much about the connection between periodontal health and diabetes. This is why we as dentists must step forward and educate our patients about the correlation between gum disease and diabetes.
People with diabetes, particularly those with chronic high blood glucose levels, are more susceptible to bacterial infections everywhere in the body, including in the mouth. In addition to making a person susceptible to infections, high blood glucose levels also inhibit the healing of infections. When an infection in the mouth tissues is not controlled, the teeth can become loose, and chewing can become painful or difficult. An uncontrolled infection can eventually cause tooth loss.
High blood glucose levels can raise the risk of periodontal disease in another way as well: When blood glucose levels are high, the glucose levels in all body fluids, including saliva, become very high. Certain bacteria feed on sugar and grow readily in the mouth, particularly when saliva glucose levels are high. And having higher levels of these bacteria in the mouth increases the risk for both periodontal diseases and dental decay.
One early complication of diabetes namely, changes in the blood vessel walls can also increase the risk of developing periodontal diseases. In short, the vessel walls become thicker. Blood is necessary to bring oxygen and nutrients to all body tissues and to remove waste products made by cells in the body tissues. Thicker blood vessel walls slow down these processes and weaken resistance to infection. Without a good blood supply, the periodontal tissues become too weak to fight infections.
There is a whole area of research that correlates periodontal health (gums and bone) to systemic disease. The average person has 1500 billion bacteria in the mouth, comprised of 800 species of microbes living under the gums and along the roots of the teeth. When the microbes increase to proportions of high viral, bacterial and fungal loads they spill into the blood and travel to all parts of the body. In their New York Times best seller You: The Owners Manual Michael F. Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet C. Oz, M.D. state that you need to combat gingivitis and periodontal disease which can cause inflammation in your body and aging of your immune and arterial systems.
A number of studies show a correlation between periodontal (gum) disease and systemic diseases such as cardiovascular (heart) disease, diabetes, sinus problems and multiple other concerns. So the mouth really is connected to the rest of the body! It has been suggested that all diseases start orally and the challenged immune system shows up as problems in the mouth. Gum disease or periodontal disease is a chronic inflammation and infection of the gums that destroys the supporting bone and tissue around your teeth. It is the major cause of adult tooth loss, bad breath, and affects three out of four people after the age of 35. It provides a direct path for bacteria to enter your blood stream on a daily basis.
Do you know if you are at risk for diabetes? To determine your risk for diabetes, consider being seen by a dentist who is an expert in diabetes and periodontal disease for a periodontal evaluation and diabetic risk assessment. Remember, early treatment is the key to your total health. If you are a diabetic, your treatment team should consist of your primary care doctor, nurse educator, eye doctor, other specialists and your dentist. Communication between these health care professionals is necessary for your total health care. We must build a comprehensive and complete program designed to monitor a healthy outcome for diabetes control and prevention.
References:
1. American Diabetes Association, Total Prevalence of Diabetes & Pre-diabetes,
http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics/prevalence.jsp, accessed 10/9/08
2. Joan I. Gluch, R.D.H., Ph.D., Susanne K. Giorgio, R.D.H., More than a pretty smile.
Oral health for people with diabetes. : article, Diabetes Self-Management, pp 57, 58,
November/December 1999
3. Loe H, Genco RJ, Periodontal disease and mortality in type 2 diabetes, Oral
Complications in Diabetes, http://care.diabetesjournals.org/ogi/reprint/28/1/27
4. Maria Gifford, Get In The Game, How to build your winning diabetes health care
team. Diabetes Forecast, pp. 51-53, April 2008
For more information, contact Zeny N. Ocean, D.D.S., 1155 W. 4th St., Suite 211, Reno NV 89503. Phone 775.329.1333.
People with diabetes, particularly those with chronic high blood glucose levels, are more susceptible to bacterial infections everywhere in the body, including in the mouth. In addition to making a person susceptible to infections, high blood glucose levels also inhibit the healing of infections. When an infection in the mouth tissues is not controlled, the teeth can become loose, and chewing can become painful or difficult. An uncontrolled infection can eventually cause tooth loss.
High blood glucose levels can raise the risk of periodontal disease in another way as well: When blood glucose levels are high, the glucose levels in all body fluids, including saliva, become very high. Certain bacteria feed on sugar and grow readily in the mouth, particularly when saliva glucose levels are high. And having higher levels of these bacteria in the mouth increases the risk for both periodontal diseases and dental decay.
One early complication of diabetes namely, changes in the blood vessel walls can also increase the risk of developing periodontal diseases. In short, the vessel walls become thicker. Blood is necessary to bring oxygen and nutrients to all body tissues and to remove waste products made by cells in the body tissues. Thicker blood vessel walls slow down these processes and weaken resistance to infection. Without a good blood supply, the periodontal tissues become too weak to fight infections.
There is a whole area of research that correlates periodontal health (gums and bone) to systemic disease. The average person has 1500 billion bacteria in the mouth, comprised of 800 species of microbes living under the gums and along the roots of the teeth. When the microbes increase to proportions of high viral, bacterial and fungal loads they spill into the blood and travel to all parts of the body. In their New York Times best seller You: The Owners Manual Michael F. Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet C. Oz, M.D. state that you need to combat gingivitis and periodontal disease which can cause inflammation in your body and aging of your immune and arterial systems.
A number of studies show a correlation between periodontal (gum) disease and systemic diseases such as cardiovascular (heart) disease, diabetes, sinus problems and multiple other concerns. So the mouth really is connected to the rest of the body! It has been suggested that all diseases start orally and the challenged immune system shows up as problems in the mouth. Gum disease or periodontal disease is a chronic inflammation and infection of the gums that destroys the supporting bone and tissue around your teeth. It is the major cause of adult tooth loss, bad breath, and affects three out of four people after the age of 35. It provides a direct path for bacteria to enter your blood stream on a daily basis.
Do you know if you are at risk for diabetes? To determine your risk for diabetes, consider being seen by a dentist who is an expert in diabetes and periodontal disease for a periodontal evaluation and diabetic risk assessment. Remember, early treatment is the key to your total health. If you are a diabetic, your treatment team should consist of your primary care doctor, nurse educator, eye doctor, other specialists and your dentist. Communication between these health care professionals is necessary for your total health care. We must build a comprehensive and complete program designed to monitor a healthy outcome for diabetes control and prevention.
References:
1. American Diabetes Association, Total Prevalence of Diabetes & Pre-diabetes,
http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics/prevalence.jsp, accessed 10/9/08
2. Joan I. Gluch, R.D.H., Ph.D., Susanne K. Giorgio, R.D.H., More than a pretty smile.
Oral health for people with diabetes. : article, Diabetes Self-Management, pp 57, 58,
November/December 1999
3. Loe H, Genco RJ, Periodontal disease and mortality in type 2 diabetes, Oral
Complications in Diabetes, http://care.diabetesjournals.org/ogi/reprint/28/1/27
4. Maria Gifford, Get In The Game, How to build your winning diabetes health care
team. Diabetes Forecast, pp. 51-53, April 2008
For more information, contact Zeny N. Ocean, D.D.S., 1155 W. 4th St., Suite 211, Reno NV 89503. Phone 775.329.1333.