If you have diabetes, it is important to know that your Redwood City Dentist treats diabetic patients. As a premier family dentist located in Redwood California, we know that patients who suffer from diabetes also have their oral health affected by the disease. Dental care is critically important for diabetic patients because, quite simply, they face a higher level of risk associated with gum, tooth, and mouth health problems due to poorly controlled blood sugar levels. The less well controlled the blood sugar levels are in a patient, the higher their risk of oral health conditions and hence it is critical for such patients to experience ongoing and regular dental health care.
There are more bacteria in your mouth than the entire population of the planet. The team at Roy Dental treats diabetic patients because we know that having diabetes means you are more exposed to those germs settling into your gums and causing additional problems like gum disease. Dr. Roy advises patients to keep their blood glucose levels under control in order to promote good overall health. If it is not under control, we will work to ensure that it does not adversely affect your teeth and gums by removing bacteria and plaque during regular teeth cleanings. For the nearly 30 million Americans that have diabetes, there is a direct correlation shown between having diabetes and an increase in the risk of contracting dangerous oral diseases like periodontist disease.
Dr. Roy treats diabetic patients in our Redwood City Dentist office. Oral diseases can be made worse due to diabetes, something Dr. Roy can help to prevent.
Diabetics can suffer from the following:
- Dry mouth or a lack of saliva. Dry mouth is a very common problem for those with diabetes. This can lead to additional oral health problems such as ulcers, tooth decay, and, infections
- Periodontitis and Gingivitis. These are two diseases which affect the gums and cause inflammation. Since patients with diabetes have thickened blood vessels, the ability of the body to fight infection due to a slowing down of the flow of nutrients and waste is exaggerated. Since diseases like periodontists disease are caused by bacterial infections in the mouth, the reduced ability of the body to naturally fight these infections can cause the infections to be more severe and occur more frequently.
- Thrush. This is a fungal growth which occurs in the mouth of patients who take antibiotics frequently to fight other infections. Our Redwood City Dentist office treats diabetic patients with this condition which causes burning mouth and tongue sensations. Since the fungus thrives on the high levels of sugar in the saliva of people with uncontrolled diabetes, it can be a common and annoying problem for patients to have.
- Delayed healing times. Many diabetic patients do not heal well or quickly after any surgery. The same is true for oral surgeries which may need to be performed to ensure that a patient has good oral health. An impairment of the blood flow to the site of the surgery make the healing process longer.
For patients with diabetes it is important to find a dentist who is specifically aware of the challenges of treating a diabetic patient, so that they can provide the best possible care. Dr. Roy, a Redwood City dentist treats diabetic patients and has the experience to help you maintain the best possible oral health.
