Diabetes

Feb3

Have Your Dessert! (If You Must)

Categories: Dental health, Dental hygiene, Diabetes, Oral Health

Have Your Dessert Comstock Park

Do you have a sweet tooth? Join the club! No one confuses dessert with healthy food, but for many of our patients at Eric Hull DDS Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park MI, it’s just not realistic to recommend avoiding sugary treats.

If you fit that category, here is something useful to know: eating sweets at certain times is better for your teeth than others. For instance, when you eat a full meal, your saliva production increases. Saliva is necessary to neutralize acids and rinse bits of food off of teeth.

That means that sweets consumed after meals present a lower risk to your teeth, because your mouth is already in optimum cleansing mode. Sweets after meals are preferable to sweets eaten between meals as snacks.

Additionally, remember that the type of treat is as important as when you eat it. We constantly remind our patients that sticky candies stay on your teeth for a long time, even when your saliva is flowing. And hard candies that you suck for an extended time give bacteria a perfect environment to create dangerous enamel-weakening acids.

A good choice? Chocolate! A lot of our patients are happy to hear that. Plain old chocolate (no nuts, no chewy inside) melts away quickly and won’t stick to your teeth. Just be sure to brush before bed!

At Eric Hull DDS Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park MI, our services include cosmetic dentistry, general dentistry, and orthodontics. People from Ada, Belmont, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford, MI come to our practice for their needs. Call to schedule your next checkup today!

Contact Eric Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

616-784-2377

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

769 York Creek Dr NW
Comstock Park, Michigan
49321

Jul20

Connection Between Type 2 Diabetes and Gum Disease

Categories: Dental health, Diabetes, Gum Disease

gum disease in Comstock Park

At Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry, we are concerned not only with the condition of your mouth but also with how it affects your complete physical health and general well-being.

Today’s post looks at the connection between diabetes, oral health, and gum disease. This topic may be of interest to Belmont, Comstock Park, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford, MI residents with diabetes, as well as individuals who are trying to reduce their risk factors.

Scientists have known for quite some time that people with diabetes have higher rates of gum disease, therefore maintaining proper blood glucose levels is the key to minimizing risk.

Additional research is exploring the reverse relationship. In other words, whether poor oral health increases the risk of developing diabetes. Findings from a long-term study suggest that it does.

“We found that over two decades of follow-up, individuals who had periodontal disease were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life when compared to individuals without periodontal disease.” -Ryan T. Demmer, PhD, MPH

Additional trials are exploring how tooth and gum health bumps the ability of diabetics to manage the disease.

“Not only are people with diabetes more susceptible to serious gum disease, but serious gum disease may have the potential to affect blood glucose control and contribute to the progression of diabetes.”

If you have diabetes or gum disease, it is vital that you see a dentist regularly and are committed to daily oral hygiene, proper nutrition, and other critical practices. Moreover, your success in controlling your blood glucose levels will improve your overall oral health.

If you don’t have a dentist and live in Comstock Park or the greater Grand Rapids area, we invite you to call us at 616-784-2377. We also provide other dental services such as gum disease treatment, Zoom teeth whitening, and dental implants. When you visit us at Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry, we will complete a thorough examination of your oral health and create a valuable plan for improving and maintaining your dental health for life. Schedule your visit today!

Contact Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

616-784-2377

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

769 York Creek Dr NW
Comstock Park, Michigan
49321