Let's Talk Oral,and My Diabetes
Yes iv used the word "Diabetes" all on its own because I'm talking about both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes.
Taking our Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes seriously is something we all must do if we want to live long happy and healthy lives in the hope of skidding to the finish line rather than arriving in bits.
We hear all about the danger to feet, limb amputation, eyesight and retina problems and deterioration of Hearing, to name just a few among many other complications. I remember after diagnosis of my T1 coming home with only a small amount of information, only discovering later the vast amount of other things I needed to know.
Nobody ever mentioned "Oral Problems"
My oral hygiene has always been a little OTT and brushing vigorously 2-3 times daily would be my absolute minimum, yep me and my toothbrush are never far apart.
We use our mouth for many things like breathing, eating, drinking, smoking, talking, smiling, and kissing etc lol. We ladies outline it with lip liner and slap on the lipstick hoping we look great.
You men pucker up without the lippy and hope you'll get lucky.
In the dead of night when I reach to the bedside locker to treat a hypo without even getting out of bed and then falling straight back to sleep, do I brush first ?
NO .......
NO .......
I wouldn't even be thinking, I'm shaking,sweaty, and desperate for sweet stuff so I can see yet another day. I never totally wake in a hypo, I sort of move and react while still sleeping, yep that's it, I sleep eat.......
Then I wake up in the morning with an awful sickly sweet taste in my mouth, honestly that's when I realise iv treated a hypo through the night, and only then do I brush.
Do we ever stop to think about what our diabetes is doing to our Oral status?
I sure didn't.......
As I am a regular 2-3 times a day brusher, it never even entered my head. Until Christmas week when a tooth started being a bit more than sensitive.
First week in January straight after new year I treated myself to a trip to the dentist, did I tell you I HATE going to the dentist ( probably why I brush so much ) the only consolation was, he was young, good looking, had a lovely smile and a great bedside manor.
I even joked with the receptionist about it being ages since I'd had someone that good looking talking Oral to me ...... ( well that's not exactly what I said lol )
However, my tooth was causing grief so I opened wide just like I was told to, the result was a crack in the molar that he'd try to save with a big filling. It was a long shot and I knew it, but we took the shot and lost. It continued to cause problems and 2 weeks later it had to be removed.
The root broke off during the procedure and a little digging was needed. ( it wasn't good )
I went back a week or so later to have stitches removed and it was then, he said he was surprised that the healing wasn't as advanced as he had hoped. He suggested because I was a diabetic a really deep clean done in his office would be advised, and I took his advice, starting 2 weeks later.
Cutting a long story short here, iv had to have more "work done" than I hoped. We discovered not only is my healing not good, but my gums are inflamed. The result of my diabetes, the work done and a lack of healing.
The local anesthetic he gave me at 9.30 in the morning, had managed to remain in place until between 8 - 10 pm and all day as I sipped my coffee in one side of my mouth it spilled out the other side and down whatever top I was wearing this time. Eating wasn't pretty ......
I felt like I belonged in a comedy show, yes it was hilarious to look at, my sense of humour however wasn't great.
Another thing, the anesthetic for my molar had now numbed me from the base of my neck to my hairline and just to keep things balanced out it also totally numbed my ear, enabling me to stab myself while putting on my glasses without pain, or as another option just miss my ear target and wear the glasses sliding down my face.
I did bump into my Mr 50 shades of Dentist at the shop in the afternoon, he was more than a little surprised that I was still talking with a sort of "spit and drool" action. No he hadn't given me too much. The reason ??? My metabolism and my diabetes, meant the anesthetic was acting differently, and not wearing off too quick. Yep you could have punched me anytime through that day and I wouldn't have felt a thing.
I also spent a full 24 plus hours, eating ( everything ) and not injecting insulin just trying to reach a (5. Plus) on the BG meter and CGM, I did manage it just once for about 40 minutes but I very quickly dropped back to the 2s ( no sleep was had that night ) just my T1 system reacting to local anesthetic.
That was January and guess what ? Iv still got another molar with a crack, just filled but the issue is not resolved. Iv got a lack of enamel now and dentures are now on my bucket list for this year.
I'm thinking diabetes has a lot to answer for, and more regular check ups are advisable for those with diabetes.
The only good thing is, my Mr 50 shades of dentist, can't and doesn't say "don't eat sugar" to a diabetic and when it comes to treating a diabetic, their protocol is to be guided by the patient and what they need, they will only work on us if we are happy with the BG numbers at the time. His exact words were " the diabetic knows best " ( music to my ears ) now that's one very clever man, my 50 shades of dentist.
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How my Dogs will think when i get my new set of dentures.
That of course is if Princess Kate does'nt eat them on me.
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Some wise words from the dentist here :
Another Dental article
Davina
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