Derita Malcom had a recent revelation—one profound enough that her two adolescent kids hear about it every night. "I preach: 'Take care of your teeth,'" she explains. Removing her upper denture before bed, Malcom, 49, tells her kids, "Look at mama's teeth" and the damage caused by gum disease. "I had such a fear of the dentist that I really neglected my mouth," says the elementary school secretary from Chesterfield, Va. The consequences are not limited to her mouth.
Malcom's diabetes may have been harder to manage because of her long neglect of oral health. Before she underwent a series of dental procedures last year, Malcom's A1c level, which reflects blood sugar control, was far above the safe range. Now, since she has a new dedication to home care and is nearing the end of her dental work, Malcom's sugars are closer to normal. "I didn't make the connection that it could improve my diabetes," she says. She's not alone.
Three in four American adults have at least mild periodontal (gum) disease, or gingivitis. More severe disease, or chronic periodontitis, may affect as many as 30 percent. Regardless of severity, gum problems can be quite stealthy; pain is minimal and bleeding or reddened gums may be the only sign. Yet disregarding oral health could have serious overall repercussions. Recent research suggests that uncorrected gum issues make blood sugar more difficult for diabetics to control. Diabetes, in turn, can cause or worsen gum disease. "It's a two-way street," says Susan Karabin, president of the American Academy of Periodontology. The underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, but gum disease involves chronic inflammation—which can trigger insulin resistance, a hallmark of diabetes—and also bacterial infection. "Periodontal disease creates the wound that allows [oral bacteria] to gain access to the rest of the body," explains Steven Offenbacher, director of the Center for Oral & Systemic Diseases at the University of North Carolina...
