Seeing a dentist for routine visits could be the first line of defense for detecting various health problems. Dentists often ask about patients’ overall health and any medications they are taking during the patient history discussion. During a routine oral exam, dentists may observe these mouth symptoms and ask about the patient’s medical history. When they observe symptoms like chronic gum inflammation, unusual dry mouth, or other oral problems, they could suggest seeing a specialist for a more thorough examination to rule out any underlying medical illnesses like diabetes. Thus, diabetes and your dental considerations will go hand in hand.
What symptoms of diabetes may a dentist look for?
Diabetes can manifest in various oral symptoms, such as dry mouth, a very important symptom of diabetes. Moreover, gums that may become inflamed and bleed often, slow healing of oral wounds, burning mouth syndrome, changes in your sense of taste, bad breath that doesn’t go away on its own, frequent oral infections like thrush, loose teeth with increasing spaces between your teeth, and a higher incidence of dental cavities. If the tooth is left untreated, it can also lead to tooth loss.
Some dental clinics may have the provision to monitor blood sugar levels, especially if they have patients with known diabetes or suspect it. However, this is not a common practice in most dental clinics, but most dentists take care of diabetic dental considerations. This would be beneficial if a patient is high-risk, on insulin, or having surgery. Get a reading from a glucometer. If a patient report having diabetes or if there are indications of uncontrolled blood sugar levels, the dentist may consider these factors in treatment planning.
Can diabetes harm teeth?
There is no direct relationship between diabetes and teeth cracking, chipping, or breaking. That could, however, have a major negative effect on your dental health by increasing the formation of cavities, which can grow to the point where teeth fracture.
Diabetes can increase the amount of glucose in your saliva. Diabetes develops when blood glucose is too high. Salivary glucose accumulation is another effect of high blood glucose levels. This glucose can feed harmful bacteria that combine with food to form a soft, sticky film called plaque, which causes cavities. Dental cavities are holes in or structural damage to the teeth. The acids in plaque break down the enamel on teeth, causing further damage. A potentially serious infection known as an abscess can result from untreated cavities.
Why are diabetes-related dental considerations essential?
If blood glucose is high, dentists usually postpone oral treatment and refer the patient to their physician to re-assess glycemic control. Dentists can help appreciate important diabetic management considerations, as they can help minimise the risk of an intraoperative diabetic emergency and reduce the likelihood of an oral complication of the disease. In fact, before initiating treatment for a diabetic patient, dentists usually consult with the patient’s physician to assess diabetes control, keeping in mind the medical history and medications. They also examine the patient’s organ systems at every visit, make sure they’ve followed their prescription prior the treatment, and be ready to handle hypoglycemia if it occurs.
Dentists usually ask to avoid aspirin-containing products, proper oral cleanliness, deep preventative care, and the timely prevention, treatment, and eradication of diseases. Before and after dental visits, dentists remind their patients to maintain a healthy diet and take their medications as per prescription.
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