Diabetes, can affect your health by damaging your organs, blood vessels and nerves. But the most common health problem affecting diabetics are Gum disease and Tooth decay .
In addition to these conditions, there are many other oral manifestations diabetics are more prone to:
- Infections of the oral tissues that can manifest themselves with pain in the jaws or sinus area, pain when chewing, red or white patches in the mouth, pus and swelling. If a diabetic suffers from oral infections he will have difficulty controlling blood sugar levels. So, if one suffers from oral infections, it is important to call our team at Tooronga Family Dentistry to discuss treatment options for your condition.
- Fungal infections can appear in the mouth of diabetics who frequently take antibiotics. Symptoms of these infections are red or white patches on the cheeks, lips, tongue or back of mouth, bleeding of oral tissues, changes in the taste of food and pain in the mouth or throat. These conditions can be treated with anti-fungal medications.
- Mouth dryness is caused either by the medications taken for diabetes or by the harmful effects high blood sugar has on the salivary glands. The lack of saliva compounds the risk for developing Gum disease and Decay. If you have a dry mouth, it important to drink more fluids, chew sugar-free chewing-gum or use artificial saliva to protect your oral tissues.
Please tell Dr. Kaufman Daniel when you present for the periodical dental examination which changes that have happened since your last dental visit, so we can provide you with right the solutions to prevent further deterioration.