Periodontal disease is an inflammatory response to a bacterial infection that, if left untreated, may cause damage to the tissues and bone surrounding the teeth and may even lead to tooth loss. People with diabetes are three to four times more likely to develop periodontal disease, which, like any other infection in the body, can impair their ability to process and/or utilize insulin. Additionally, people with diabetes tend to have more severe levels of bone loss and often experience more aggressive disease activity. This can ultimately lead to tooth loss, which can make chewing and digesting food difficult.
For people with diabetes, this can have a devastating impact on the ability to maintain proper nutrition and control blood sugar levels. Just as diabetes can increase a patient’s chance of developing periodontal disease, research suggests that periodontal disease may make it more difficult for people who have diabetes to control their blood sugar.
Periodontal disease increases the body’s systemic inflammatory signals that serve to increase blood sugar. This contributes to increased periods when the body functions with an unhealthy blood sugar level.
DOES FLOSSING HELP CONTROL BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL IN DIABETICS?
The American Diabetes Association defines diabetes as a serious disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches, and other food into energy needed for daily life. Approximately 40% of the Indian population is estimated to have diabetes; however, a large proportion of them are still undiagnosed.
If you or someone you know has diabetes, you already understand the importance of keeping the disease under control. However, you may not know that good oral health not only keeps the mouth and gums free from periodontal disease but also might have a significant impact on the control of diabetes.