The Mouth and Digestion

     Your mouth includes your gums, teeth, tissues such as your tongue, top and bottom of the mouth, and the insides of your cheeks and jaw.  The saliva, which makes the mouth wet, has sugar in in.  The mouth is where you put your food, but do you realize it is a part of your digestive system also.  Your body must break down food into smaller and smaller pieces so the nutrients contained in the food can be released from the food and used by the body.  The main reason for eating is to gain nutrients to keep your body functioning.  Because of high blood sugar people with diabetes are more likely to have problems with their teeth and gums.  Too much sugar in the blood can cause pain, infection and other problems.  But enough of that ... this paper is on oral health.
     You can help maintain oral health by keeping your blood sugar as close to normal as possible.  Brush and floss your teeth twice a day and/or keep your dentures clean.  You should get a dental exam at least yearly and on occasion, if you are having problems, more often. 

Your dentist should:

• Know you have diabetes
• Be informed of any gum disease, bleeding, red, swollen, or tender gums, gums pulling away from your teeth, or puss between teeth and gums
• Check for any loose teeth
• Be told if there are any changes in the way your dentures fit
• Be told about persistent bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth

     There are billions of bacteria in your mouth.  When those germs settle into your gums, you get gum disease.  Poor blood sugar control makes gum disease more likely.  According to Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, plaque is simply a gummy mass of microorganisms that grows on the crowns and settles at the gum line - basically a sticky film of food, saliva, and germs.  Germs can make your gums red, tender, and more likely to bleed.  Plaque, if not removed, hardens into tarter.  If tarter is not cleaned off, you get gingivitis.  Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease.  Diabetes may weaken your mouth's germ-fighting power, and high sugar levels can contribute to gum disease.  Daily dental care can delay or prevent many problems.

Warning Signs of Gum Disease:

• Bleeding gums when you brush or floss = Gingivitis
• Red, swollen or tender gums = Gingivitis

From here on down is a more severe form of gum disease called Periodontitis

• Gums that have pulled away from your teeth
• Pus between the teeth and gums when you press on the gums
• Bad breath
• Permanent teeth that are loose or moving away from each other
• Changes in the way your teeth fit when you bite
• Changes in the way your partial dentures fit

The most common problems for diabetics to watch out for:
Thrush is the growth of a naturally occurring fungus that the body is unable to control.  Symptoms: sore, white, or sometimes red, patches on your gums, tongue, cheeks, or the roof of your mouth that have turned into open sores.  Check with your dentist for treatment.
Xerostomia (dry mouth) is a lack of saliva in your mouth which raises your risk for tooth decay and gum disease.  Symptoms: Mouth feels dry most or all the time, dry, rough tongue, pain in the mouth, cracked lips, mouth sores or infection, problems chewing while eating, swallowing, or talking.  You can chew sugar-free gum or mints to increase saliva, use mouthrinse, take frequent sips of water, avoid spicy or salty food, and it is best to avoid tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol.  If you chew a lot of gum - do not swallow it! The body does not digest gum.
Burning mouth - the cause is not known but linked to nerve damage, painful dentures, possibly changes in hormones, dry mouth and poor diet.  Symptoms: a burning feeling in your mouth, dry mouth, bitter taste - symptoms may get worse throughout the day.  Check with your dentist.
     Check with your dentist if you have dark spots or holes in your teeth or have sores in the mouth, especially if they do not want to heal quickly.  Be sure to consult with your dentist on proper care of your teeth.  Keep your diabetes under control!  Some mouth problems can be avoided or dealt with and some cannot.