About 24 million Americans have diabetes. And the number is rising. Some diabetics are not aware that they have diabetes. The inability to produce or properly use insulin has been identified in diabetics. Insulin is a hormone that transports sugar in the blood stream into cells so that cells can use them to produce energy for the body. The cause of diabetes has not been fully identified. Genetics (Type I diabetes) and environmental factors such as obesity (Type II diabetes) are thought to be related to the development of diabetes. A simple blood test can show the blood sugar level and identify the diabetic status of an individual.
Can diabetes kill people? Yes and no. The most common cause of death among diabetics is heart attack. High blood sugar level leads eventually, through complicated processes, to poor blood circulation in the limbs, eyes and heart muscle. That’s why you hear diabetic people having foot amputations and going blind.
Pix by Rhett Maxwell
What are the implications of diabetes in the mouth? Diabetic people are known to be more susceptible to infection and slow to heal. Diabetes is known to be related to severe cases of periodontitis (a sort of gum disease, losing bone and supporting tissues around teeth). Diabetes perhaps does not cause periodontitis but worsens periodontitis. However, diabetic people with good blood sugar level have shown to be just as resistant to periodontitis as normal people. After all, the cause of periodontitis is bacteria, not diabetes. So, eat healthy, go brush and floss your teeth and get regular check ups if you have diabetes. Go out side and exercise and keep your blood sugar level under control for your teeth and your your overall health.
Catching a little later and it is called Type 2 diabetes. Sophia Diet