Dental care for people with diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that is still incurable but that can be controlled by taking many precautions. If you have diabetes, you must look out for what you eat, exercise regularly, take your medication diligently, and also pay special attention to your oral health.

Among the oral problems that diabetes can trigger, dry mouth (xerostomia) and infections are the main ones. Xerostomia, or lack of saliva in the mouth, can have serious consequences, including tooth decay (cavities), the appearance of ulcers and fungal infections, and the difficulty of wearing dentures and partials.

Oral infections that diabetics encounter are the cause of periodontal disease. Gum disease, or periodontal disease, affects the gums and the bone that support teeth. Gum disease is more difficult to cure when you have diabetes. It is therefore important to maintain your gums healthy and have them checked regularly.

Furthermore, if you are diabetic and undergo oral surgery, healing will be more slow than usual. So whether you have a tooth extraction, wisdom teeth removal, or gum surgery, you must expect longer healing time.

Dentists recommend people with diabetes to have meticulous oral hygiene, by brushing and flossing preferably after every meal. It is also cautious to see your dentist for regular checkups, every three months if possible, for a tooth and gum exam, and a tartar scaling. At each visit, your medical history must be updated by informing any change of your diabetes state and the medication that you are taking.

If you feel that your gums are bleeding more than usual, it would be important to consult your dentist immediately. Gum disease is the worst oral complication that you can get when you have diabetes and it must be controlled. You must also notify your physician of the state of your oral health.

A lot of attention is needed to keep your mouth healthy. But if you act with the recommendations of your physician and your dentist, you can lead a healthy life for a very long time.

Full Article: Diabetes and Dental Care
In French: Soins dentaires pour les gens atteints du diabète

What if an adult tooth falls out completely after an accident?

Sometimes accidents happen where a front tooth falls out completely after shock, without fracturing itself. This situation is serious and can cause stress, if it happens to us, or if it happens to our child. In these cases it is possible to put the tooth to where it was, but we must proceed immediately.

Here are the instructions to follow:

• A tooth that fell out, and which maintained its whole structure without any major fracture must be re-implanted within 60 minutes after the accident for having the best chances to remain in position. This applies to adult teeth only and not for deciduous teeth.
• The best option is to re-implant the tooth at the accident site. The tooth should be placed by an adult, either by the person who lost his tooth, or by another adult if it is a child who has suffered from the accident.
• It is important that the tooth is placed in its exact position, so it does not move when the patient bites his teeth together.
• If the tooth is dirty, it is important that the patient cleans it with his own saliva by putting it in his mouth. It should then be removed from the mouth and spit all the debris. By spitting hard, you can remove the blood clot that would have formed in the hole where the tooth was located, making the re-implantation of the tooth easier to do.
• The more quickly this is done; the better will be the chances of success.
• If for some reason the tooth cannot be placed in its right position, then it must be brought the dentist as soon as possible. The tooth can be kept in the mouth of the patient if it is an adult. If it’s a kid that had the accident, he or she may swallow the tooth; it is therefore better to keep it in a cup of milk, or in a saline solution (one cup of water mixed with half teaspoon of salt). The patient and the tooth must be taken to the dentist as soon as possible.

By following these instructions there are good chances that the tooth remains in the mouth for a lifetime. There are risks that it may need a root canal later, or it might need to be extracted and replaced by an implant, a bridge or a partial.

Full Article: Avulsed Tooth – What to Do When a Tooth Falls after an Accident
Source of pictures: Journal de l'Ordre des dentistes du Québec.
In French: Que faire si une dent adulte est complètement tombée suite à un accident?

What Causes Sensitive Teeth?

It is such a burden to suffer from a sensitive tooth. It bothers during meals, while drinking something hot or cold, even sometimes while breathing air through the mouth.

There are many factors that can cause sensitive teeth:

• Brushing the teeth in a hard or strong way can wear out the enamel and cause tooth sensitivity.
• If the gum level recedes, due to gum disease or vigorous brushing, the root becomes exposed, making the tooth sensitive.
• A fracture of a tooth can expose the dentin.
• Cavities and tooth decay can of course cause the teeth to be sensitive.
• Grinding the teeth wears down the enamel.
• Tooth whitening products can cause a temporary sensitivity to the teeth.
• Certain mouthwashes are acidic and long term use can wear away the enamel of the tooth.
• Foods high in acid content, such as soft drinks, citric fruits, or ice-tea, wear out the enamel if consumed excessively.
• Recent dental treatments (fillings, cleanings, root canals or crowns) can cause sensitivity to the repaired tooth for a few weeks.

A severe tooth ache, that is constant and prevents sleep, can be the cause of more serious problems and should be checked by a dentist as soon as possible.

See also in french.