10 tips to improve oral health in diabetics

Diabetes can have a huge impact on your oral health. Here's are 10 tips to maintain good oral health in diabetics.

Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : May 21, 2014 1:00 PM IST

Diabetics, who are at a higher risk of suffering from oral health problems, can avoid them by adopting a healthy lifestyle. 'People with diabetes have a greater risk of suffering from oral health issues like periodontitis and caries and other problems like dry mouth, fungal infections and poor wound healing,' said Ayse Basak Cinar, assistant professor at department of odontology at the university. Read more about how diabetes can affect your oral health.

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have helped a large group of diabetics to markedly improve their oral health through health coaching. The study was carried out in Turkey. It involved 186 patients who were divided into two groups. One group was given traditional health information, for example a brochure on good dental hygiene. The other group was offered motivational health coaching in the form of 3-6 sessions over a six-month period, focusing on diet, stress management and dental care, said the research published in the journal Clinical Oral Investigations.

'In patients who were given personal health coaching, the biological markers for periodontitis, also known as loose teeth disease, were reduced by as much as 50 percent over a six-month period,' the research noted.

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'The patients in the trial group saw a significant decline in long-range blood sugar levels, whereas figures for the control group were unchanged,' said. This shows that oral health coaching significantly improves dental health in diabetics. Read more about the need for oral care in diabetics.

Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.

'Health coaching is a resource-intensive intervention. However, dishing out brochures to patients with diabetes and thinking that this would help is also a costly approach for the society,' he added.

Here are a few tips to improve oral health in diabetics:

First thing, keep your blood glucose levels under control.
Follow a healthy lifestyle and meal plan as discussed with your doctor.
Brush your teeth at least twice in a day. Use a fluoride toothpaste to prevent tooth decay.
Be gentle while brushing to prevent bleeding gums. Use a soft toothbrush. Follow these tips on choosing the right toothbrush.
Brush in a circular motion. Rinse properly. Here are few more tips on correct method of brushing teeth.
Change your toothbrush as soon as you notice that the bristles have worn out. Or else, changing the toothbrush after every three months is recommended.
Keep your tongue clean by brushing in once in a while. Read more tips to maintain good tongue hygiene.
Floss your teeth every day. Read more about why you need to floss and some facts about flossing teeth.
Quit smoking. Smoking worsens gum diseases.
Go for a regular dental checkup. Make sure that your dentist knows you're diabetic.

See a dentist immediately if:

Your gums start bleeding easily. Read more about why bleeding gums should not be ignored.
Your gums swell or get pull away from the teeth.
You notice pus between your teeth and gums when the gums are pressed.
You have bad breath or bad taste in the mouth. Here are a few natural ways to lose bad breath.
You have loose teeth or if your teeth start separating.
If you have any dentures (false teeth) that do not fit right.

Also read: tips to improve oral hygiene.

References:

National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC)
American Dental Association (https://www.ada.org/)

With inputs from IANS

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