# Gum Problems



## Diabeticblue (Nov 18, 2009)

Hi all,

Does anyone have /had any Gum Problems due to their Diabetes?. I have been having problems with bleeding gums for the past couple of months. I attend for regular checkups at my Dentist/hygeneist. My Dentist has now told me that my problem is linked to my Diabetes. My Doctor prescribed antibiotics a couple of months ago which cleared the problem but it's now returned. The Dentist says that there is nothing that he can do and it will just be a recurring problem.

How can I keep going back to my Doctor asking for more antibiotics,does anyone out there have any ideas/solutions I'm really getting brassed off with it now. 


Chris


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## Cliff (Nov 18, 2009)

I had a similar problem pre-diagnosis.  I don't know if it was related to my undiagnosed condition but I did manage to get it sorted out and now my gums are fine.

As an addition to my NHS 6 monthly check-ups and regular treatment, I paid privately to use the services of the hygienist at my dental practice and I now have that done every 6 months as well - it's like a normal scrape and polish but more intensive and gets rid of the plaque in areas close to the gums between the teeth that would be difficult if not impossible for you to get to yourself.  In addition to that, I regularly use inter-dental brushes (floss will do as well if that's your preference) to clean between my teeth.  I also gargle regularly with Corsodyl and flush it through my teeth and around my gums.

As I said, I went from badly bleeding gums with a poor prognosis to a condition where my dentist can find no signs of any ongoing problems.

I hope this helps.


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## Caroline (Nov 18, 2009)

The advice given to me when I had similar problems was brush my teeth if it's not too uncomfortable and then rinse with salty water or a good quality mouthwash. I used salt water as I don't like the taste of mouthwash. At the first sign of any problem I rinse with salty water and then go the doctor or dentist if things persist.


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## FM001 (Nov 18, 2009)

Hi Chris

In general, diabetes does cause gum problems.  I have never had bleeding gums, but my dentist told me some years ago that my gums were receeding due to the diabetes. I was getting pain due to sensitive teeth, and apparently with my gums receeding it was exposing the roots of the teeth.

I was told to use a mouthwash twice a day, Colgate was mentioned at the time; so I have followed advice and use mouthwash daily, and so far I have not had problems with sensitivity again.  As far as bleeding gums, I can't really suggest anything at the moment, perhaps you may want to Google your condition and see what comes up on the net.

Hope things improve for you soon, and let us know how you get on.

Toby


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## Diabeticblue (Nov 18, 2009)

Thanks Cliff,to be honest I'm not that keen on my Dentist and I just feel that he's fobbed me off. I have tried using Corsodyl but it had no effect and my gums are bleeding really quite badly, back to the Docs methinks.

Chris


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## Diabeticblue (Nov 18, 2009)

Caroline/Toby,

Thanks for your replies,I've used several mouthwashes but they don't seem to do any good. I did Google the problem and it came back pretty much as the Dentist had told me as regards my Diabetes causing Gingivitis etc. Basically the only thing to get rid of it is Antibiotics but it's not a permanent solution.


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## RWJ (Nov 18, 2009)

Hi Chris
I never had gum problems until diagnosed approx 2.5 yrs ago. I have 6 monthly check ups and everytime now I'm told I have gum disease and some of my teeth are loosening. I also suffer from bleed when I clean. I floss every night as recommended by my dentist, but no improvement. He keeps asking "are you smoking, do you drink a lot of sweet drinks/alcohol?" I keep repeating "no I'm a diabetic"!!
He's never suggested its a diabetes side effect, but the timing makes sense, nor has he suggested any medication. Maybe I should consult my doctor?
Sorry this doesn't help you, but it's helped me as I was wondering why and never linked the two.


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## Steff (Nov 18, 2009)

hi diabeticblue I have the same prob i started a thread on sensitive teeth yesterday but also my gums bleed when i brush and it hurts alot


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## Moamber (Nov 18, 2009)

have you tried the sensitive tooth paste Just rub it on the gums and leave it ...... Colgate have a new sensitive toothpaste out - It does me 

Hugs Mo


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## Steff (Nov 18, 2009)

Moamber said:


> have you tried the sensitive tooth paste Just rub it on the gums and leave it ...... Colgate have a new sensitive toothpaste out - It does me
> 
> Hugs Mo



moamber is it colgate sesitive whitening toothpaste?


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## Diabeticblue (Nov 18, 2009)

Ron, my Dentist was unaware that I was Diabetic until I informed him a couple of months ago which is when he made the connection. His advice was to just follow my usual dental regime,which he had shown me,and to make sure I kept my appointments with him and the Hygienist,apart from this there was nothing else he could do.

Steff, I don't have a problem with sensitivity funnily enough it's just this bad bleeding and the associated problems.

Chris


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## Vanessa (Nov 18, 2009)

Chris, like you I attend for regular check ups with both the dentist and the hygienist and still have gum problems.

My dentist says that the problems are related to my diabetes plus the way my teeth overlap.  He is able to treat pockets/gaps in the gums if they appear.

I've been advised by him that the best thing I can do is to keep my blood glucose levels under good control and be scrupulous in my teeth brushing, use inter-dental brushes and seek rapid help if I have a flare up.  Hence a rapid visit yesterday but I've had a lot fewer infections since I've got the blood glucose under better control and it was over a year since my last abscess when I was getting one every 3 months


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## Steff (Nov 18, 2009)

Diabeticblue said:


> Ron, my Dentist was unaware that I was Diabetic until I informed him a couple of months ago which is when he made the connection. His advice was to just follow my usual dental regime,which he had shown me,and to make sure I kept my appointments with him and the Hygienist,apart from this there was nothing else he could do.
> 
> Steff, I don't have a problem with sensitivity funnily enough it's just this bad bleeding and the associated problems.
> 
> Chris



yea im unlucky I have both, im also not keen on a visit to the dentist but its looking more likely


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## Cliff (Nov 18, 2009)

Chris - is the bleeding coming from one particular area or is it a widespread problem?


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## Diabeticblue (Nov 18, 2009)

It appears to be all areas top & bottom Cliff


Vanessa, my BG levels are quite good,apart from my fasting levels which are always around 8, so I have fairly good control at the moment.


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## Steff (Nov 18, 2009)

http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/complications_teeth/
thought this might be of interest Chris


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## Diabeticblue (Nov 18, 2009)

Thanks Steff looks interesting,I'll have a read.

Chris


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## Steff (Nov 18, 2009)

I guess its rather late tho as i think it tells you more how to prevent , but its already happening in our case


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## Diabeticblue (Nov 18, 2009)

Thats right Steff it's mainly about prevention. Another trip to the Docs this week then. This bloomin Diabetes has a lot to answer for.


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## tracey w (Nov 18, 2009)

Diabeticblue said:


> Thanks Cliff,to be honest I'm not that keen on my Dentist and I just feel that he's fobbed me off. I have tried using Corsodyl but it had no effect and my gums are bleeding really quite badly, back to the Docs methinks.
> 
> Chris



I dont think the doc can do anything to be honest, its a dentist issue. I have gum disease that my dentist told me is related to my diabetes. I have had the bleeding you describe, occasionally when brushing my teeth. initially i was put on corsycodyl mouth wash for a few weeks. I attend regular checkups with the aim that my gums dont receed any further. I have to floss with "bottle brushes" which you buy from chemists/boots etc. floss is no good as it is too thin, initially your gums will bleed a lot and this is normal, after a while the bleeding stops but you need to do this every day to keep all the bits at bay and prevent the plaque formation. the dentist told me the gums bleed because all the little bits get stuck and infect the gums, so this is something i have to do all the time,

hope this helps


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## Steff (Nov 18, 2009)

tracey w said:


> I dont think the doc can do anything to be honest, its a dentist issue. I have gum disease that my dentist told me is related to my diabetes. I have had the bleeding you describe, occasionally when brushing my teeth. initially i was put on corsycodyl mouth wash for a few weeks. I attend regular checkups with the aim that my gums dont receed any further. I have to floss with "bottle brushes" which you buy from chemists/boots etc. floss is no good as it is too thin, initially your gums will bleed a lot and this is normal, after a while the bleeding stops but you need to do this every day to keep all the bits at bay and prevent the plaque formation. the dentist told me the gums bleed because all the little bits get stuck and infect the gums, so this is something i have to do all the time,
> 
> hope this helps



I get the bleeding when i brush especially the 3 front teeth at the bottom i try to avoid brushing there but ig uess the more i avoid the more that bit of the mouth will infect


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## runner (Nov 18, 2009)

How's your control?  Are you BGs still high?  I think it's worth going back to GP/Dentist and asking for referral to a specialist, or perhpas asking for an appointment with your DSN?

Sorry - just read more recent posts about BGs etc.  Hope it gets sorted for you.


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## am64 (Nov 18, 2009)

i lost one of my front teeth prediagnoises from an abcess that didnt heal ...it was 2 1/2 years before, when i think of it....im sure ive been showing symtoms for years now x


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## runner (Nov 18, 2009)

am64 said:


> i lost one of my front teeth prediagnoises from an abcess that didnt heal ...it was 2 1/2 years before, when i think of it....im sure ive been showing symtoms for years now x



Yep, I've had a lot of dental problems over the last few years, and sure it's related to diabetes pre and post diagnosis


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Nov 19, 2009)

My gums always bleed when I clean my teeth. Without fail. Is this because of BG control issues? Though mine has gotten much better over the past year or so? I actually thought it may be because im brushing too hard or need a softer brush?


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## Mand (Nov 19, 2009)

Hi everyone

I took my son for a routine dental check up on Tuesday and mentioned that his gums bleed often. The dentist said it was because he had plague on his teeth. He said that brushing alone was not enough and taught my son how to floss. He said they would bleed more initially whilst the plague was being removed but then should settle down when they nice and clean. He said that as a diabetic my son would need to take extra care and time to clean his teeth well.

He also recommended some special tablets that you can buy from the densist (we bought some and have used them). You chew one tablet and swoosh it around your mouth then swill your mouth. Then take a look! The new plague on your teeth will have turned red and the old plague will turn blue. You then need to brush and floss to get rid of the dyed areas. Very good and i would highly recommend these tablets. 

Mand


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## runner (Nov 19, 2009)

salmonpuff said:


> My gums always bleed when I clean my teeth. Without fail. Is this because of BG control issues? Though mine has gotten much better over the past year or so? I actually thought it may be because im brushing too hard or need a softer brush?



Could be - I was advised to use a softer brush (pre-diagnosis) because I brush too hard and was told it would make my gums receed.  don't currrently have problems with bleeding gums and now make sure i brush from gum to top of teeth rather than up and down.


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## falcon123 (Nov 19, 2009)

I did not post yesterday as I had an appointment with my dentist in follow up to a similar problem. Basically my teeth are carp! They were fine until I was 14 and my parents changed dentists. The new one was very much a ?drill and fill? merchant who seemed to believe that the biting surfaces of teeth should be perfect. As the result of this I had every back tooth filled over a period of three months. We changed dentists a couple of years later when we realised that this was not the way forward. Until about 7 years ago I had the same dentist for 17 years and my teeth were quite stable. He never brought diabetes into the conversation bar to check I was not due for a meal within the next hour or two.  A number of the filling had to be redone as the fillings aged and decayed. The problem is that each time you lose some more tooth. After he had to take early retirement I did not visit a dentist for over two years. The next one advised redoing all the work because a lot was old and there were modern materials available. Her workmanship was appalling I now realise ? one filling fell out 30 minutes later. It is actually quite hard to complain about dentists as it seems to always be your fault for a lack of dental hygiene and you can have the diabetes thrown back at you!. After eighteen months I moved on with two teeth less! It is actually quite hard to complain about dentists as it seems to always be your fault for a lack of dental hygiene and you can have the diabetes thrown back at you! I found a really good dentist but sadly he moved to another part of the country. The next one was rubbish. A back tooth he filled abscessed a few months later and was so damaged it had to be removed. The next dentist was excellent but she emigrated. Fortunately her replacement seems equally competent. During this saga decay seem to spread to other teeth so I have had quite a lot of work done, much though to remedy incompetent earlier work. About two years ago I started getting the sore gums/bleeding problem. It has been a nightmare but a friend of the same age has had it worse and he is not a diabetic. In that time I have had frequent check ups and tried endless toothbrushes (including two electric ones), toothpastes and mouthwashes ? mostly to no avail. On this visit I was quite surprised to be told the situation had improved and that my gums were not starting to bleed when touched. The toothbrush I now use is an Oral-B Cross Action ? the first time I used it my teeth felt cleaner. I also use a vastly expensive toothpaste ?Colgate Duraphat 2800ppm Fluoride Toothpaste? ? about ?5 a tube and only available from your dentist or chemist (if prescribed). The only mouthwash I have found that seems to do something is Colgate FluoriGard AF. Bit of a saga but hopefully it may prove useful to somebody.


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## runner (Nov 19, 2009)

Falcon, that's good news that things appear to be getting slightly better - I hope things continue to improve for you.  You have been through the mill.  I think you're right about dentists and I wonder if it is always true when they say they can't do anything.  My son was told by a dentist that a tooth which had been broken would have to come out because of the dammage beneath the gum.  Thankfully, we took him to a friend who saw him privately and couldn't see the same thing on the xray, and managed to save and rebuild his tooth.  Sadly, I cannot afford private treatment, and don't see why we shouldn't all receive the best treatment. Hey-ho


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## falcon123 (Nov 19, 2009)

Sadly the one of the incompetents was private so it is not a guarantee of good treatment. Paying ~?200 to loose the tooth few months later is just not on. It is one area of medicine where it is too easy to get away by blaming the patient.


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## PhilT (Nov 20, 2009)

I have had acid erosion of my teeth since I have been diabetic and my dentist told me to use special toothpaste and mouth washes to combat the acid so it doesn't get any worse.


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## squidge63 (Nov 20, 2009)

I have had bleeding and receeding gums way beofre I was diagnosed as diabetic.. at my last check up my dentist said that I have to keep my suagrs under good control because having gum disease and diabetes is like a vicious circle, your gums won't heal until you have a good control. I saw the hygienist who got rid of all the plaque and crap and I have to use the interdental brushes and brush my teeth with corsodyl toothpaste at night, and my ususal toothpaste in the morning.. I also use either corsodyl daily mouthwash or the aquafresh mouthwash as well... my gums are still bleeding but not as much.. it's just keep regular cleaning, flossing/interdental brushes and regullar dentist hygienist visits...


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## chezpez (Nov 21, 2009)

I'm a dental nurse of 20yrs and not to brag but i have never had bleeding gums.. but diabetes does affect your gum condition, so therefore its essential to keep up with good oral hygiene. Make sure you brush effectively at the gum line in a circular motion to prevent receeding gums and causing ridges in your teeth. Use a small soft to medium toothbrush (i like oral B 30) remember to brush outsides and insides at a angle at the gum line, and the biting surfaces. Try not to use a big toothbrush as it wont get in to the nooks and crannies. Use floss or interdental brushes every day make sure you get the right size for inbetween (i like tepe brushes )you may need a couple of different sizes, and if necessary corsodyl "daily" normal corsodyl can cause staining if used long term. But most importantly you must attend for cleanings perferably every 3 months if you have an active gum disease.. as this will clean debris from underneath the gum line.. once you have a clean as is under control  in theory if you effectively clean at home you shouldnt really need a clean only when necessary.. i hope this helps - Happy cleaning! xx


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