About gum disease, diabetes... and you!

Periodontal (gum) disease can alter your glucose metabolism even if you are not diabetic. This is worrisome because experts believe this could lead to prediabetes in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Prediabetes can be a precursor to Type 2 diabetes.

The relationship between periodontal disease and diabetes has been studied extensively for more than fifty years. Each arrives silently... is chronic... epidemic... and has been associated with chronic inflammation.

• Gum disease is an infection that occurs when the bacteria in plaque, the film on your teeth, is allowed to build up and inflame your gums. It can lead to tooth loss and bone loss, and has been linked to cardiovascular and other systemic diseases including diabetes.
• Diabetics with periodontal disease have two chronic conditions which may affect each other.
• People with prediabetes or diabetes are likely to have periodontal disease more often and more severely than people without.
• Diabetics with periodontal disease have more difficulty controlling blood sugar levels. This perpetuates the risk of recurring gum disease and increases the risk of other diabetic complications during every stage of life, including childhood and pregnancy.

Gum disease can arrive without symptoms, and has been linked to both prediabetes and diabetes. It's in everyone's best interest to have regular oral exams.