June 8, 2008
What Your Dentist Should Do, #3 Continued: Your Dental Records Should Reflect Your Diabetes History
No one has to suffer the effects of severe gum disease worsened by diabetes, a combination which then triggers a downward spiral of cascading health events that can literally threaten your life. Finding a dentist with whom you can communicate freely and comfortably is your first step in enhancing your dental care.
As a person who has diabetes you’re used to hearing about your reduced ability to heal tissue damage. We’ve talked in earlier blog posts about how your body’s phagocytes – the “killer cells” that attack and kill the bacteria attacking your gums – are not as effective as in people who don’t have diabetes. And we’ve talked about how these things can take a toll on the structure of your mouth and the health of your teeth, as well as how it adds one more set of complexities in managing your diabetes.
Toward that goal, start working with your dentist to make sure your dental records reflect a full history of your diabetes. And, for each appointment you’ll want to be sure to bring current information about your diabetes. You and your dentist should take some time talking about your current state of metabolic management, especially if you need to have more than just a regular check up. You should be prepared to show your dentist the results of your most recent fasting blood glucose test, your daily monitoring efforts of your blood sugar and bring results from any other tests your physician has done that will help your dentist understand your individual health issues.
For more diabetes information, get your free five-lesson mini-course on diabetes and your teeth at DentistryForDiabetics.com.
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