Diabetes & Dental Hygiene – Oral Well being Group

November is Diabetes Consciousness Month—a really perfect time for dental hygienists throughout Canada to remind us of the essential connections between diabetes and oral well being.

In keeping with Diabetes Canada, greater than 11.7 million individuals in Canada reside with diabetes or prediabetes. These people are notably prone to oral well being issues, reminiscent of dry mouth (which might trigger soreness, ulcers, and tooth decay) and gum illness (periodontitis). Analysis additionally means that periodontitis, like all infections, could trigger blood glucose ranges to rise and make diabetes tougher to regulate. As Anne Caissie, president of the Canadian Dental Hygienists Affiliation (CDHA), explains, “It is extremely essential for individuals dwelling with diabetes to go to their dental hygienist frequently for skilled oral care and to practise good oral hygiene at dwelling.”

To that finish, CDHA has produced an oral well being care tip sheet, accessible in English and French, for individuals with diabetes (www.dentalhygienecanada.ca/diabetes). It gives straightforward directions for each day mouth care and wholesome dwelling, together with steerage on when to schedule dental hygiene appointments and what info to share. Caissie notes, “Your dental hygienist must know if in case you have diabetes and whether it is below management, as a result of it has an impression on their scientific evaluation and remedy suggestions.” The purpose of each at-home {and professional} oral care is to scale back irritation within the mouth, permitting purchasers with diabetes to take pleasure in optimum oral well being, higher regulate their blood glucose ranges, and cut back the danger of probably life-threatening problems from this severe illness.

CDHA is the collective nationwide voice of greater than 30,000 dental hygienists in Canada, instantly representing 21,000 particular person members, together with college students. Since 1963, CDHA has labored to advance the occupation and promote the significance of oral well being. Dental hygiene is the sixth-largest regulated well being occupation in Canada, with professionals working in quite a lot of settings, together with impartial dental hygiene observe, with individuals of all ages, addressing points associated to oral well being. For extra info on oral well being, go to dentalhygienecanada.ca.