Diabetes affects 18 million individuals in the United States and 171 million individuals worldwide and has reached epidemic status. This disease is characterized by an increased susceptibility to infections , poor wound healing, and increased morbidity. Diabetes is a complex disease with both vascular and metabolic components. People with diabetes are more likely to have periodontal disease than people without diabetes, because diabetics are more susceptible to contracting infections. In fact, periodontal disease is often considered the sixth complication of diabetes. Those people who don’t have their diabetes under control are especially at risk and must understand that it can kill you.New Brunswick Dentist
Diabetic patients are more likely to develop periodontal disease, which in turn can increase blood sugar and their diabetic complications can be worse. A closed loop exists between diabetic control and oral infections. When periodontal infection is diagnosed, metabolic control of diabetes is worsened. Treatment of periodontal disease improves the glycemic control of diabetics.
Research has emerged that suggests the relationship between periodontal disease and diabetes goes both ways – periodontal disease makes it more difficult for people who have diabetes to control their blood sugar. This is because they are both inflammatory diseases.
Severe periodontal disease can increase blood sugar, contributing to increased periods of time when the body functions with a high blood sugar. This puts diabetics at increased risk for complications. Thus, it is critical of you are diagnosed with Diabetes that you visit your Dentist immediately.
There are phases of gum disease that do not hurt so therefore, the person with Diabetes is unaware that there is anything wrong. Also, there are physicians that are not advising their patients to visit a Dentist so their blood levels become erratic and they wonder why if they are taking medicines prescribed and they are checking their blood daily with a meter.
Since there has been many studies confirming the link between Diabetes and Periodontal Disease the medical community is understanding how important it is to have a team approach. There a lot of improvements to be made in regards to the relationships between Physicians and Dentist. It is slowly changing because Diabetes is a Disease with multiple complications and one of them in Periodontal Disease. Only Dentists are trained to treat Periodontal Disease. Sometimes it is so severe that it has to be treated by a Periodontist. This is a Dentist with special training that only treats diseases of the gums and bone..