Diabetes and Thrush

At Ardas Family Dental in Parker, Colorado, we provide general dental care for people of all ages and facing all kinds of oral conditions. People with diabetes are especially at-risk for a host of oral health problems, and in the past, we’ve described how we help them to combat gum disease and to qualify for the placement of dental implants. But people with diabetes are also at risk for the development of thrush, particularly if they have removable dentures, so we wanted to give that a bit of focus and help our patients to recognize it.

We always have a variety of microbes growing in our mouths, and for the most part, these are harmless or even helpful. But when fungus called candida grow out of control, a patient develops a yeast infection, or thrush. A person suffering from thrush may experience cracks in the corners of their mouth, as well as the development of painful white or red patches and the loss of taste. Thrush is especially common in places covered by the ridges of dentures, which people sometimes have difficulty cleaning.

Thrush rarely develops in healthy adults, but it can appear in people with uncontrolled diabetes. Why is unclear, although people with diabetes have more difficulty fighting off infections in general, and their saliva contains elevated levels of sugar, making it a better food source for candida. There are oral antibiotics to combat thrush outbreaks, but people can also practice prevention by brushing their teeth twice a day and drinking enough water to wash away sugary residue. People with dentures may also want to look into using an American Dental Association-approved cleaning solution and to be sure they’re using specialized toothpaste to avoid scratching their dentures’ plastic.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

Diabetes and Dental Implants in at Ardas Family Dental

If you have missing or damaged teeth, you’ve probably been told that implants are a great way of restoring your smile. But if you have diabetes, you may also have wondered whether that advice was really meant for you. It’s true that dentists have historically questioned whether people with diabetes were good candidates for implant-supported crowns, and a lot of research was done in this area. We at Ardas Family Dental in Parker, Colorado are pleased to pass along a review showing that when blood sugar is well-controlled, people with diabetes greatly benefit from implants.

The way the implant process works is that a single-crown implant is placed into an incision in the gum, which is then sutured closed while the implant integrates with the surrounding bone tissue. This process takes about three to six months, and the review found that in people with diabetes, it usually took closer to six months. However, people with  diabetes did achieve integration at comparable rates to those without it despite people with poorly-controlled blood sugar being more prone toward initial instability.

People with diabetes  are also especially vulnerable to gum inflammation, which in implant patients is called peri-implantitis. Gum disease poses a serious risk to implants, since the acid that is usually causing it could erode the implant or  its supportive tissue. But the review found that people with diabetes do not suffer higher rates of implant failure within the first six years of receiving one, and although their risk is higher after that, it can be managed with good oral hygiene and regular dental cleanings.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

The Diabetes-Gum Disease Connection

In Parker, Colorado, we at Ardas Family Dental are particularly attentive to the needs of our diabetic patients. Diabetes puts people at heightened risk for gum disease, which is why we want to educate our patients about it and emphasize the importance of oral hygiene.

Gum inflammation is called gingivitis. It occurs as a result of bacteria in the gum pockets producing a large amount of acid. The acid is a by-product of bacteria feeding on sugar, so when they have more sugar to feed on, they multiply faster, produce more acid, and cause more damage to the gums. The acid becomes trapped in a sticky substance on the teeth called plaque, and if gingivitis isn’t stopped, it could progress into a much more serious ailment, periodontal disease.

People with diabetes have a harder time fighting off infections. There is also evidence that periodontal disease makes it harder for the body to regulate glucose levels. When glucose levels are poorly controlled, gum disease is more likely to develop and worsen. What all this means is that diabetic people need to make sure they are keeping regular dental appointments and keeping us informed if they are having difficulty controlling their blood sugar levels.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. To learn more about diabetes and oral health, call 720-459-8420 or visit ArdasFamilyDental.com and fill out a contact sheet.