Those who have diabetes have some oral problems to keep an extra eye on. Here you get tips on how to maximize oral care – and clean for real.
Inflamed gums
Inflammation of the gums is caused by bacteria – plaque. Plaque is a sticky, colorless to pale yellow coating of bacteria that builds up around the teeth, especially in hard-to-reach and cramped places. If the plaque remains, the gums become irritated, swollen and bleeding. Inflammation of the gums can in turn develop into periodontitis, tooth loss.
The plaque starts to transform into tartar within 24 hours. Here it is important that you do what you can to keep the gum edges and between the teeth clean every day. Use dental floss, rubber pads or spacer brushes. If you notice that it is bleeding somewhere, you should be even more persistent right there. That it bleeds is not dangerous in itself. Avoid smoking, it further increases the risk of inflamed gums.
Caries
People with diabetes can be extra prone to cavities, both due to the fact that you are forced to snack frequently and take glucose for the blood sugar level and due to dry mouth.
The basic cleaning is A and O. Brush with fluoride toothpaste morning and evening and clean between the teeth every day. Feel free to rinse extra with fluoride or chew fluoride chewing gum for five minutes after each meal. Rinsing your mouth with water after eating can make a difference. Then you rinse off food residues and help restore the pH balance.
Dry mouth
Poor blood sugar control can cause dry mouth. This means that you get too little saliva in your mouth, or that the consistency of the saliva has changed. Dry mouth, in turn, increases the risk of getting holes in your teeth, so it is important to clean extra in that case.
Reduce dryness with over-the-counter saliva stimulants, such as mouth spray, lozenges or mouthwash gel. You can also lubricate your mouth with regular cooking oil. One tip is to choose foods with good chewing resistance, such as vegetables and crispbread, and to chew carefully. Then
more saliva is formed. Drink plain water if you want to moisten your mouth.
Exposed tooth necks
Anyone who has brushed their teeth too hard, or has problems with tooth loss, can get exposed tooth necks. This means that the upper part of the tooth root is no longer protected by the gums, which can cause irritation, among other things. Gums do not grow back.
Avoid further damage by brushing gently with small, short strokes. Skip hard toothbrushes and toothpaste with a lot of abrasives. You can also dab fluoride toothpaste on the exposed tooth neck and let the cream sit for as long as possible.
Visit your dentist regularly
You are really doing yourself a favor by going to the dentist regularly. This is because you reduce the risk of major dental problems, each visit will go faster and also probably cost you less.
The body and hormones of adolescents change greatly, often these changes can affect the condition of the teeth. That is why it is so important in adolescence to go to the dentist regularly – at least once every 6-8 months.
The doctor will help you choose the necessary care, prescribe the necessary procedures such as preventive cleaning, and will be able to detect and heal bad teeth.
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