Keeping tabs on your health includes watching the critical signs your mouth may be telling you. People with high blood sugar levels are at risk for developing serious oral health complications associated with diabetes. Frequent gum absences, swelling, and bleeding gums all can signal to a dentist that a patient might have the disease. That’s because diabetes can weaken the mouth’s germ-fighting abilities— making you more susceptible to bacterial growth and infection.
Luciana Shaddox, Ph.D./D.D.S., UF College of Dentistry
Did you know that people with diabetes are twice as likely to develop periodontal disease? Dr. Luciana Shaddox is an assistant professor in the Department of Periodontology. As a periodontist, she is uniquely trained in the treatment of the disease. Her main research interests focus on the inflammatory mechanisms and possible genetic markers behind the aggressiveness of this disease in children, adolescents, and adults.
Not only are people with diabetes more susceptible, but serious gum disease may affect blood glucose control. Dr. Shaddox conducts research with other UF College of Density faculty to build on the relationship between periodontal disease and type 2 diabetes, which may lead to a better understanding of new ways to treat both conditions.
Ammon Peck, Ph.D., UF College of Dentistry, UF Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine
Xerostomia, or dry mouth as it is often referred to, may be a sign of a serious health condition or may occur when a person is upset or experiences stress. It can also be brought on by disease—including diabetes.
Distinguished professor of immunology Ammon Peck, Ph.D., associate dean for the UF College of Veterinary Medicine has researched the autoimmune factors that can result in this condition, opening a whole new paradigm for early diagnosis and potential treatment of dry mouth and related conditions.
Dr. Peck is internationally renowned for his research work with animal models in pursuing the role stem cells derived from bone marrow may play in the prevention and reversal of T1D, in addition to regenerating insulin functioning of the endocrine pancreas through harvesting of beta cells.
Samuel B. Low, D.D.S., M.S., M.Ed., UF College of Dentistry
Dr. Samuel Low is Professor Emeritus of Periodontology in the UF College of Dentistry. He is a past President of the American Academy of Periodontology and the Florida Dental Association and a former Trustee of the American Dental Association.
General dentists and hygienists manage 90% of patients with periodontitis today, but many do not receive enough educational training in the treatment of the condition — affecting gums and other supporting tissues around the teeth — nor its close ties with diabetes.
“Everyone should maintain healthy teeth and gums to avoid periodontal disease, but people with diabetes should pay extra attention,” according to Dr. Low. “Periodontal disease triggers the body’s inflammatory response which can affect insulin sensitivity and lead to unhealthy blood sugar levels. Establishing routine periodontal care is one way to keep diabetes under control.”
Dr. Low is nationally recognized for his experience and dedication to the training of dental professionals at UF. His teaching emphasis on ‘team-based’ care encourages medical and dental stakeholders to work together in diagnosing, treating and managing patients who suffer from the disease as well as other significant oral health complications.
- See: AAP supports the International Diabetes Federation Guideline on Oral Health for People with Diabetes
For more information on detecting diabetes or pre-diabetes with the help of your dental care provider, be sure to check out the Brochure: Oral Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes, offered by the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA).
See: Colgate Total, American Diabetes Association partner to educate on gum health
To make an appointment with the UF College of Dentistry, call (352) 273-6701. You will be directed to a UF dental center that can best meet your oral health care needs.