Mouth Care Basics for Type 2 Diabetes Dr. Barker, ND

These tips on good oral hygiene can help you avoid type 2 diabetes-related problems like gum disease and tooth decay. ype 2 diabetes is a dangerous disease because, if uncontrolled, it can lead to complications throughout the body, from the heart to the kidneys to the eyes. Diabetes can even affect the mouth, causing gum disease and tooth decay.''

Diabetes and Oral Hygiene: A Double Whammy



To protect teeth and gums, people with type 2 diabetes must practice diligent oral hygiene and mouth care as well as manage their diabetes. Health complications in one area can affect the other. For instance, people with diabetes and untreated gum disease will find it nearly impossible to manage their diabetes and bring their blood glucose levels down to normal, explains Maria Emanuel Ryan, DDS, PhD, director of clinical research and professor of oral biology and pathology at the Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine in New York. "If you have periodontal disease and the breakdown of the bone and connective tissue that support the teeth, that chronic inflammatory condition causes insulin resistance," Dr. Ryan says. "No matter how much that person watches their diet, no matter how many oral drugs or how much insulin they are taking, they won't be able to get their blood glucose levels down. It's really a two-way street."

How Diabetes Affects Oral Hygiene

Diabetes prompts an inflammatory response in the body. In the mouth, this leads to swollen gums. If left unchecked, your gums will begin to pull away from your teeth. As your gums retreat, deep pockets form between teeth and gums. Those pockets become home to bacterial and fungal infections, filling with germs and pus. Diabetes creates high levels of sugar in your saliva, a condition that spurs on these infections. As a result, "you have a person who is more susceptible to breakdown of tissues and infection — and that is what periodontal disease is, a disease of inflammation and infection," Ryan says. The high levels of sugar in your saliva caused by type 2 diabetes also can increase your risk of cavities. "Just [as if] you ate candy all day, you are at greater risk for tooth decay," adds Ryan.''

A lack of saliva due to diabetes also raises your risk of tooth decay. Many people with diabetes have dry mouth, possibly caused by medication. One of saliva's main jobs is to wash away the germs that cause cavities and neutralize the acids they produce. With less saliva, you are more prone to tooth decay.''

Proper Diabetes Care, Proper Mouth Care

If you have diabetes, follow these steps for good oral hygiene:

-Have any oral health problems treated promptly. Gum disease must be treated, either through medicine or surgery. Cavities must be filled. If you don't have these problems addressed, they will interfere with your ability to manage your diabetes.
-Keep your diabetes under control. This will prevent oral complications as well as the many other health problems that can result from unchecked diabetes.
-Discuss your diabetes with your dentist. Your dentist needs to know about your diabetes and any complications. Give your dentist your latest fasting blood glucose test results and a list of all medications you are taking.

Your daily oral hygiene regimen should include:

-Brushing twice a day, for two to three minutes each time
-Flossing once a day
-Rinsing your mouth with antiseptic mouthwash or a prescription mouthwash after brushing and flossing to kill off bacteria that might thrive in sugary saliva

These simple habits can ensure the health of your teeth and gums.

explains how Naturopathic Medicine, a subset of alternative medicine and natural medicine, is able to reverse Type 2 Diabetes.''

Reverse Type 2 Diabetes with Natural Medicine

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