Dental Information

Nearly 21 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes. It's no wonder that this disease has been termed our country's biggest epidemic. Of even greater concern is that nearly three times that number-an estimated 57 million people in the United States-have a condition called pre-diabetes, and a significant proportion of these people will develop Type 2 diabetes within 10 years.

But regular visits to the dentist's office can help these potential diabetics get an early warning that they should be on the alert.

"We've long known that people with diabetes are more susceptible to gum disease," says Shannon Mills, DDS, Vice President of Professional Relations and Science at Northeast Delta Dental. "But recent studies have revealed that periodontal disease can actually influence pre-diabetes and contribute to the progression of diabetes."

"This connection to diabetes is just one example of the relationship between an individual's oral health and his or her overall wellness," says Dr. Mills. "While the research affirms the importance of taking good care of your teeth and gums, it also underscores the role that oral health care providers can have in early detection of serious systemic disease."

Mills points out that there are numerous reasons to keep regular checkups on your calendar, even if you take good care of your teeth.

• Dental professionals can use today's dental exams to screen for oral cancers and other health issues that can be difficult to spot on your own. More than 120 diseases can cause specific signs and symptoms in and around the mouth and jaw. Dental professionals performing checkups can spot symptoms that indicate serious problems elsewhere in the body that need attention.
• Checkups allow your dentist to keep up with changes to your health status. Upon learning of medical conditions you've developed or treatments you're receiving, your dentist can recommend strategies to help you proactively counter the negative effects the conditions and treatments would otherwise have on your oral health.
• Preventive checkups provide dentists with opportunities to identify and intervene early in dental disease. This can reduce any pain and the financial costs associated with more severe forms of dental diseases. If caught early, periodontal disease is easier to manage and, in some cases, reverse.

"Dental health professionals can suggest the frequency that's most appropriate for each patient," Dr. Mills said. "Some people don't need to be seen twice each year, while some need to be seen more often. Consult with your dentist to determine the number of yearly visits that is right for you."

An eating disorder is a complex compulsion to eat in a way that disturbs physical, mental, and psychological health. The three most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. The eating may be excessive (compulsive over-eating); restrictive; or may include normal eating punctuated with episodes of purging (such as self-induced vomiting, use of laxatives, fasting, diuretics or diet pills). The eating may include cycles of binging and purging; or may encompass the ingesting of non-foods (such as dirt, clay or chalk). Each of these disorders robs the body of adequate minerals, vitamins, proteins, and other nutrients needed for good health and may cause injury to teeth, muscles, and major organs.

"Eating disorders have serious implications for oral health and overall health," says Shannon Mills, DDS, Vice President of Professional Relations at Northeast Delta Dental. "Stomach acids can damage teeth with repeated exposures during purging for those individuals with bulimia nervosa. For those individuals with anorexia nervosa, which is characterized by self-induced starvation, poor nutrition can affect oral health by increasing the risk for periodontal (gum) diseases."

As many as 35 million men, women, and children suffer from eating disorders in the United States. Dentists are becoming the first line of defense when it comes to detecting eating disorders in patients, according to the Academy of General Dentistry. For example, although parents may not recognize that their child is anorexic or bulimic, they are often still taking the child to a dentist on a regular schedule and the dentist may spot the oral signs of the disease.

Bad breath, sensitive teeth, and eroded tooth enamel are just a few of the signs that dentists use to determine whether a patient suffers from an eating disorder. Other signs include teeth that are worn and appear almost translucent, mouth sores, dry mouth, cracked lips, bleeding gums, and tender mouth, throat, and salivary glands.

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, studies have found up to 89 percent of bulimic patients have signs of tooth erosion due to the effects of stomach acid. Over time, this loss of tooth enamel can be considerable, and the teeth change color, shape, and length.

"Northeast Delta Dental supports providing appropriate referral for those individuals with signs and symptoms of eating disorders and encourages those with eating disorders, or those who are caring for individuals with eating disorders to seek care from a dental professional to manage the dental consequences of these disorders," Mills says.