Diabetes and Your Dental Health # 2

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. This month we are featuring information found on MouthHealthy.org that discusses how diabetes can affect your dental health. Below are two ways that diabetes can affect your oral health.

Change in Taste

Your favorite flavors might not taste as rich as you remember if you have diabetes. It can be disappointing but take the opportunity to experiment with different tastes, textures, and spices to your favorite foods. Just take care not to add too much sugar to your food in an effort to add flavor. Not only can this affect the quality of your diet, but it can also lead to more cavities. If you have a persistent bad taste in your mouth, see your dentist or doctor.

Infections

Diabetes affects your immune system, leaving you more vulnerable to infection. One common among people with diabetes is a yeast infection called oral thrush (candidiasis). The yeast thrives on the higher amount of sugar found in your saliva, and it looks like a white layer coating your tongue and the insides of your cheeks. Thrush is more common in people who wear dentures and can often leave a bad taste in your mouth. See your dentist if you think you have thrush or any other mouth infection.

To read all ‘5 Ways Diabetes Can Affect Your Mouth’ visit MouthHealthy.org.