​When you visit your dentist and hygienist you’re probably thinking they’re just going to look at the health of your teeth and gums, and that that’s all they’ll be concerned about. You may be surprised to learn they pay attention to a lot of tiny details during your visit that give them clues about your overall dental health. While watching for cavities and ensuring you’re practicing good dental hygiene are certainly central to their concerns, below you’ll find a list of other things that they look out for.

What’s the connection?

Diabetes affects the mouth in more than one way. Uncontrolled diabetes reduces saliva production and this can lead to increased risk of caries. Patients with uncontrolled diabetes are also highly prone to develop periodontal disease due to the inflamed gums and trapping the bacteria under the inflamed gums. This can lead to bone loss. And with bone being what holds teeth in the jaws, the teeth can get mobile.
Like most infections, gum disease can also lead to an increase in blood sugar levels, and that makes diabetes harder to keep under control. So this is a negative vicious cycle, which can be taken care of with a few preventive measures.