We have spent the last 11 months in our yearlong series on the oral-systemic connection. If you have been reading them throughout the year, I trust that you now have a much better understanding of how the health and care of your mouth influences your overall health.

We have discussed topics ranging from heart disease and stroke, to men’s and women’s health issues, to the connection with various cancers, including the deadly pancreatic variety. We shed light on children’s dental health, rheumatoid arthritis, sleep apnea and ‘the long good bye’ known as Alzheimer’s.

This month we are wrapping up the yearlong series by focusing on diabetes, a disease that recent studies say nearly 50 percent of Americans already have, or are at great risk for (pre-diabetes). That is a staggering statistic, and will only get worse, since it is strongly associated with obesity, which has been rising each year for decades.

What does diabetes have in common with the various other health issues discussed above? I will shed light on the connection between diabetes and gum disease. The common denominator with the other health issues listed above is, once again, the chronic inflammatory process.

Some people ignore bleeding gums as “no big deal.” Well, what if you had an open, bleeding wound the size of your palm on your abdomen or leg? Would you take that seriously?

Researchers have estimated that the surface area of the lining of the gum pockets surrounding each tooth is similar in size to the average adult palm. So, generalized bleeding gums can represent a chronic open wound in your body of considerable size. On top of that, it is surrounded and bathed in the oral bacteria that is present in everyone’s mouth. It is no surprise then that researchers have found oral bacteria in the lining of diseased heart blood vessels.

The connection between gum disease and diabetes has been well established by multiple scientific studies. There is a two-way relationship, meaning that those with poorly controlled diabetes are more likely to develop gum disease, and those with poor oral health that results in gum disease are more likely to develop diabetes.

Some studies even go so far as to call periodontal disease the sixth major complication of diabetes, after retinopathy (eyes), nephropathy (kidneys), neuropathy (nerves), cardiovascular disease and poor wound healing.

Key: good oral health

The American Diabetes Association has acknowledged the association between diabetes and periodontitis since 2008, so the importance of good oral health and regular dental maintenance should be familiar to your physician.

However, if you haven’t discussed it with them, here’s a summary of how they are connected: The infection and resultant inflammatory processes that occur with periodontal disease are associated with an increase in insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone that your body naturally produces to help regulate your blood sugar levels. When the body becomes insulin resistant, it does not respond appropriately to normal amounts of insulin, resulting in poor control of blood sugar levels. Diabetics do not produce enough insulin, and must take medication in proper doses, and monitor their blood sugar levels to stay in a healthy range.

Having gum disease makes it much harder to maintain proper blood sugar levels, which in turn makes it harder to keep your mouth healthy. It’s a vicious circle. If you have diabetes or are concerned you might, don’t give up hope. Receiving regular dental care on a regular basis, combined with careful home care that includes proper brushing and daily flossing, can go along way towards protecting you from both diseases.

Of course, there are many factors associated with diabetes besides your gum health, and the only way to tell if you are diabetic or pre-diabetic is with a blood test performed by your physician. If you do find you have it, maintaining excellent oral health will make it much easier to control both conditions.

Our thanks

Thank you for giving Dr. Jennifer Fields and me the opportunity to share this information with you throughout 2015. We enjoy helping our dental patients achieve their best overall health through keeping their mouths healthy and beautiful.

Many of the readers of the Auburn Reporter our patients at our practice, and have heard some of this information during appointments in our office, but many of you are not. It has been fun to meet people in Auburn at various functions throughout the year, several of whom have mentioned, “Oh, you’re the dentist that writes for the paper.”

Hopefully, this information has prompted you to ask more questions of your dentist and physician about how you can keep your mouth and the rest of your body healthy for a lifetime.

We appreciate your attention and interest. If you have suggestions for topics somehow related to dental health that you would like us to write about in the coming year, please contact our office. We would welcome your suggestions. Have a wonderful holiday season.

Stuart Rich and Jennifer Fields are doctors at Simply Smiles, a private general dental practice serving the Auburn community for more than 20 years. They and their dedicated team care for patients of all ages in their office, 1348 8th St. NE. Contact them at 253-939-6900 or info@SimplySmilesAuburn.com.