In recent years, numerous scientific studies link poor diabetes control to gum diseaseThis is now firmly established in the vast majority of the latest international publications.
Specifically, Periodontal diseases affect more than 85% of the adult population in Spain. (Oral Health Survey in Spain, 2010), so adult patients with diabetes should be especially cautious in caring for their teeth and gums.
In this sense, it is important to note that the presence of gum disease is related to a situation of chronic inflammation at the oral level that can be transferred to the general circulation, something that a dentist with expertise in the field you should coordinate with the endocrinologist responsible for your pathology.
Thus, gum disease leads to a loss of control of diabetes mellitus, as well as a loss of control of diabetes mellitus. gingivitis and periodontitis can lead to insulin resistance and even promote the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus in type 1 patients..
The main consequences of poorly controlled periodontal diseases, characterised mainly by gingival bleeding and bone and gum loss, on diabetes are:
- Increased insulin resistance, as in obese people, making it difficult to control blood sugar.
- Possible glucose intolerance
- Loss of lipid metabolism regulation
In addition, in healthy patients, uncontrolled gum disease is associated with an increased risk of diabetes mellitus.It is therefore important to have periodontal treatment by a periodontist to reduce the risk of complications from diabetes.
This is especially important in the case of diabetic children, who should carefully follow the paediatric dental hygiene instructions as indicated by your paediatric dentist according to your particular conditions.
In this regard, Dr. María Victoria García Zafra, doctor and specialist in Endocrinology and Nutrition at the Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital in Murcia and recognised expert in Obesity, provides us with the following general recommendations for children and adults:
1. Toothbrushing at least once a day, since the latest scientific studies have shown that it will improve the metabolic control of your diabetes.i.e. your HbA1c (average blood glucose levels over the last 3 months).
2. Biannual visits to your dentist to prevent periodontal disease since that studies show that patients with diabetes are at higher risk of suffering from periodontitis. and therefore worsen their HbA1c control.
Therefore, if you know someone with diabetes Please provide them with this information so that they can consult it in detail, as well as the document on the First Iberian Workshop on the association between diabetes and periodontal diseasesso that you become aware of the importance of taking care of your gums to improve your diabetes control.