{"id":630,"date":"2019-11-15T17:12:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-15T17:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bghdental.com\/blog\/?p=630"},"modified":"2019-11-15T17:12:00","modified_gmt":"2019-11-15T17:12:00","slug":"diabetes-and-your-dentist-in-greenfield","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bghdental.com\/blog\/diabetes-and-your-dentist-in-greenfield\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Your Dentist Celebrates National Diabetes Month"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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If you\u2019re part of\nthe 29.1 million people in the United States with diabetes, you probably\nalready know about the damage in can inflict on your kidneys, your heart, and\nyour eyes. But did you know it could also be hurting your smile? To celebrate\nNational Diabetes Month, take a few moments to learn why your dentist in\nGreenfield is concerned about diabetes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

What Does It Mean When You Have Diabetes?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Diabetes occurs when blood sugar levels are too high. Blood\nsugar is also called glucose, and it\u2019s your body\u2019s main source of energy. Your\ncells absorb glucose with the help of a hormone called insulin. If the body doesn\u2019t\nmake enough insulin or (more commonly) doesn\u2019t interact with insulin correctly,\nthe glucose will stay in the bloodstream and cause issues throughout the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Does Diabetes Affect the Mouth?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Patients with diabetes are more prone to suffer from periodontal\ndisease, a condition where bacteria in your mouth have infected your gums. Poor\nblood sugar control has a negative impact on your immune system, making it\nharder for the body to fight off the bacteria. As the infection gets worse and\nworse, it can eventually become periodontitis, which destroys the bone in your\njaw and could cause you to lose your teeth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many cases, diabetes can also stop you from producing a\nhealthy amount of saliva, leading to dry mouth. This increases the risk of\nplaque buildup and cavities because there\u2019s less saliva to get rid of oral\nbacteria and debris from the food you eat. Dry mouth could also lead to thrush,\nwhich is a fungal infection caused by yeast. Overall, uncontrolled diabetes\nmakes it more likely that you\u2019ll have to call your emergency dentist in Greenfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Can You Do to Protect Your Smile If You Have Diabetes? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Above everything else, you need to keep your diabetes under\ncontrol by keeping an eye on your blood sugar level and following your general\ndoctor\u2019s instructions. Well-managed diabetes is much less likely to have an\nimpact on your oral health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond that, it\u2019s important to make sure your giving your\nteeth and gums proper dental care by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n