Gum Disease & Diabetes: The Link Explained

There is now a close link between gum disease and diabetes, based on countless conclusive clinical studies.

As dentists, we feel a duty to draw attention to diabetes and gum disease management, as it’s something that can go overlooked, and that perhaps doesn’t get the literature it deserves.

In this piece, we’ll explore:

Why gum disease and diabetes are linked
The symptoms you should look out for
How your dentist can help
What you can do to minimise gum disease as a person living with diabetes
How managing diabetes can reduce your gum disease risk

Why Does Diabetes Increase Gum Disease Risk?

There are two ways in which diabetes can cause gum disease:

Dry mouth

Diabetes is known to cause a dry mouth, which means less saliva is present, and able to do its job of rinsing away bits of food and bacteria (40%+ of diabetics report suffering from a dry mouth). As a result, this results in more bacterial growth, increasing the risk of gum disease in diabetics.

Some of the medicines used to treat diabetes can also cause your salivary glands to create less saliva, perpetuating and worsening an already dry mouth.

Higher glucose levels

Higher blood glucose levels in the mouth can lead to gum disease (the more sugar present, the more pressure your gums are under).

Diabetes causes glucose in the blood to increase, as well as in your saliva. When this occurs, the glucose can feast on the bad bacteria that combine with your food. The by-product is plaque, the ultimate enemy to your oral health (plaque is responsible for gum disease, the main reason why adults prematurely lose their teeth).

How Do I Know If I Have Oral Problems Relating To Diabetes?

If you are living with diabetes, it’s important that you keep an extra eye on the condition of your mouth, as you’re classed as having an increased risk for gum disease.

If you notice any of the symptoms below, we recommend contacting a dentist and making an appointment. You may be referred to the hygienist for a simple cleaning session to have extra hardened plaque removed from your gum line (which may have accumulated as a result of diabetes).

Symptoms to look out for:

Red and puffy-looking gums
Loose teeth
Increasing gaps between your teeth
Teeth that look longer (where gum tissue has worn away)
A dry mouth
Bad breath that doesn’t go away after brushing
A white patch under your tongue (this could indicate a blocked salivary gland, which can occur due to a lack of saliva, or due to bacteria in the mouth)

What Can My Dentist Do To Help?

At Meliora Dental, one of the advantages of being a private dental practice is that we have the time and resources to sit down with you and carry out tailored examinations and treatment – this is especially important when exploring gum health in relation to another chronic condition (such as diabetes).

Dr Namrata Sharma is our authority on gum health, having treated hundreds of patients suffering from gum disease, alongside related conditions including diabetes and heart disease.

Dr Namrata has researched the diabetes-gum disease link extensively and has the knowledge to help pinpoint the origin of gum disease, and whether it could be caused by diet, lifestyle, a chronic condition, or a mixture of the three.

Using this information, she can make a tailored plan that looks at short and long-term improvements to your oral health, and how to manage diabetes in conjunction with your gum health.

Do Diabetics Need To See A Hygienist More Regularly?

As the glucose levels can be higher in the mouths of diabetics, we may recommend that you come in more regularly for routine cleaning, as diabetics tend to have higher levels of plaque present in the mouth.

Dr Namrata has a medical perspective on diet, and with her background as a dentist, she can therefore offer nutritional advice tailored to patients with diabetes, with a view to lowering plaque levels.

How Gum Disease Treatment Can Lower Your Risk Of Diabetes

There is clinical evidence to suggest a strong bidirectional relationship between gum disease and diabetes.

Several studies have demonstrated that patient with neglected diabetes or who have difficulty controlling their glucose levels have a 2-3 times higher risk of developing advanced gum disease. There is also strong evidence that those who have periodontal disease are at an increased risk of developing diabetes. Meanwhile, there is further evidence to suggest that patients on metformin (the first line of medication for treating Type 2 diabetes) may not require it to control their diabetes, as periodontal disease can act as an ‘anti-diabetic drug’.