What is diabetes? It is too much glucose in the blood for an elongated time. This high blood glucose can damage many parts of the body, such as your heart, blood vessels and kidneys. Diabetes problems can be scary, but there is a lot you can do to prevent them.
- Follow the healthy eating plan that you and your doctor or dietitian have worked out.
- Eat your meals and snacks at around the same times each day.
- Be active a minimum of 30 minutes most days.
- Take your diabetes medicine at the same times each day.
- Check your blood glucose every day and record.
- Check your feet every day for cuts; blisters; sores; swelling; redness or sore toenails.
- Brush and floss your teeth and gums every day.
- Don’t smoke.
How can diabetes hurt my teeth and gums?
Tooth and gum problems can happen to anyone. Plaque builds up on your teeth and germs grow. Then you can get red, sore and swollen gums that bleed when you brush your teeth. People with diabetes can have tooth and gum problems more often if their blood glucose stays high. High blood glucose can make tooth and gum problems worse, which can result in the loss of teeth.
Smoking makes it more likely for you to get a bad case of gum disease, especially if you have diabetes and are age 45 or older.
Call Dr. Halsema if you think you have problems with your teeth or gums.