How Can Periodontal Therapy Help Patients With Diabetes?

Sugary foods aren’t only bad for your health—they can be problematic for your teeth and gums too. The problem gets worse if you have diabetes, as you can be a candidate for periodontal therapy. This type of treatment can help you deal with the complications of diabetes.

Fast facts about diabetes

In Canada alone, Diabetes Canada reports that almost 11 million people live with diabetes or prediabetes. The number is equivalent to 29% of the total population. Moreover, one out of 10 women who have given birth had diabetes during pregnancy.

Health conditions linked to diabetes

Did you know that diabetes is a leading cause of blindness? Complications in diabetes can reduce your lifespan by 5-15 years, and these can contribute to the following diseases:

• 30% of strokes
• 40% of heart attacks
• 50% of kidney failure that requires dialysis
• 70% of leg and foot amputations that aren’t caused by trauma

Gum disease among patients with diabetes

Periodontal gum disease is just one of the many complications of diabetes. The following symptoms are common among patients with diabetes who don’t maintain good oral hygiene:

• Severe gingivitis (gum inflammation)
• Gum abscess
• Deep gum pockets
• Rapid bone loss

Why are patients with diabetes prone to gum disease?

Diabetes can cause damage not just to your gums but also to your oral tissues and bones. It is a chronic disease that reduces your body’s capability to control blood sugar levels. You end up being vulnerable to dental plaque and gum problems, and it worsens as you age.

Diabetes makes you prone to infection, and it reduces healing capacity. Hence, it increases the level of chronic inflammation that is already present. 

Just like most infections, severe gum disease can spike up your blood sugar levels. It causes your body to struggle to fight off the bacteria that infected your gums.

Periodontal therapy to reduce diabetes complications

If you are living with diabetes or prediabetes, frequent visits to your dentist will be necessary. Your dentist will conduct a dental exam to assess the severity of your condition before starting the treatment.

Your periodontist will remove plaque on teeth through dental scaling and root planing. Dental cleanings can reduce your HbA1c (Hemoglobin A1C) level detected in your blood samples. HbA1c is a laboratory test that measures how well your body controls your blood sugar in about three months.

Observing good oral hygiene and undergoing periodontal therapy can help you deal with diabetes. Periodontal treatment can improve control of blood sugar levels among diabetic patients. Over time, it helps reduce the progression of this inflammatory disease. 

An emergency dentist near you can conduct periodontal therapy to prevent severe cases of gum infection. Your Aurora dentist will ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy to prevent periodontitis.