Your Oral Health and Diabetes
If you have diabetes, you probably know that you’re more susceptible to periodontal (gum) disease. The relationship between Type I and Type II diabetes and periodontal disease is so well established that periodontal disease has been called the “sixth complication” of diabetes.* Why? Some reasons are that diabetes reduces saliva production and interferes with the body’s ability to repair itself.
Periodontal disease may also make it more difficult for you to control your blood sugar. New research suggests that moderate to severe periodontal disease may increase blood sugar, decrease the effects of insulin and increase risks for diabetic complications. While a direct connection has yet to be established, more studies are finding a link between periodontal disease and diabetes.* Be sure to maintain a rigorous oral health care regimen to help control your diabetes and keep you smiling!
* Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General, 2000.
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