Taking care of your health includes your teeth and gums especially if you have diabetes. Diabetes may increase your risk for infections in your gums or weaknesses in the bones that hold your teeth in place. At the same time, gum disease can make it harder to control your blood sugar. Often gum disease is painless. You may not even know you have it until you have some serious damage. Follow these tips for a healthy mouth:
- Brush your teeth with a soft brush two times each day.
- See your dentist for regular checkups two times each year.
- Get a new toothbrush every 3 to 4 months.
- If you wear any type of denture, clean it every day.
- Floss at least once a day.
- Tell the dentist that you have diabetes.
- Before any non-emergency dental work, talk to your healthcare provider to see if your blood sugar is in target range.
For more information visit Parkland’s diabetes website.
