Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is a leading cause of tooth loss among adults.It develops when the gum tissue, particularly the deep supporting tissue and potentially the bone surrounding teeth, becomes infected and inflamed. It can be a result of poor diabetes control and has also been linked toheart diseaseand stroke.

In the early stage, gum disease is called gingivitis and is reversible.Once bone loss occurs, however, treatment is considerably more challenging. Gum disease can be prevented with good oral hygiene and regular professional dental care.

Verywell / Alex Dos Diaz

Symptoms

Gum disease starts with plaque, a sticky white substance that coats teeth. It’s formed when bacteria in the mouth mix with saliva and the residue from starchy foods and sugar in your diet.

If tartar is not removed, periodontal disease can develop, causing any of an array of telltale signs and symptoms:

4 Signs You Have Gum Disease and What to Do About It

Causes

The primary cause of gum disease is a build up of plaqueand tartarthat eventually leads to inflammation and infection. Studies show that people with diabetes who do not have sufficient blood sugar control seem to develop gum disease more frequently and more severely than those who have good management of their diabetes.

Factors that contribute to the increased risk and severity of periodontal disease in people with diabetes include:

Diagnosis

Gum disease at any stage is diagnosed duringstandard dental cleaningsand exams, during which the hygienist and/or dentist will be on the lookout for early signs and symptoms.

They will also measure the depth of the “pockets” around individual teeth. Pocket depth greater than 3 millimeters may suggest periodontal disease.

Your dentist may also take X-rays to look for bone loss.

Treatment and Prevention

If your dentist detects gum disease, they likely will recommenddental proceduresbeyond the standard cleaning you receive at check-ups. These may include scaling to thoroughly remove plaque and tartar beneath gums, root planing, or oral antibiotics to control bacteria. They also may refer you to a periodontist, who specializes in gum disease.

Lifestyle factors can also lower your risk of having periodontal disease. When you have diabetes, one of the number one tips is to maintain good control over your blood sugar levels.

Here are some other helpful tips to prevent gum disease:

A Word From Verywell

Keeping up with good oral hygiene, along with maintaining consistent blood sugar levels, are the best things you can do for your gum health and teeth if you have diabetes. Since you know your teeth, you’ll be able to tell when something feels off—don’t ignore warning signs. Make an appointment for a dental cleaning and check-up if you notice pain or unusual bleeding in your gums, or any of the symptoms above. Dental professionals often catch warning signs early on, when they’re much easier to treat—and that’s something you can smile about..

12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.Periodontal (gum) disease.Nazir MA.Prevalence of periodontal disease, its association with systemic diseases and prevention.Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2017;11(2):72-80.Dubey P, Mittal N.Periodontal diseases—A brief review.Int J Oral Health Dent. 2020;6:177-187. doi:10.18231/j.ijohd.2020.038Costa R, Ríos-Carrasco B, Monteiro L, López-Jarana P, Carneiro F, Relvas M.Association between type 1 diabetes mellitus and periodontal diseases.J Clin Med. 2023;12(3):1147. doi:10.3390/jcm12031147Cleveland Clinic.Oral health problems and diabetes.Negrini TD, Carlos IZ, Duque C, Caiaffa KS, Arthur RA.Interplay among the oral microbiome, oral cavity conditions, the host immune response, diabetes mellitus, and its associated-risk factors—An overview.Front Oral Health. 2021;2:697428. doi:10.3389/froh.2021.697428National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diabetes, gum disease, & other dental problems.National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.Diabetes & oral health.Zimmermann H, Hagenfeld D, Diercke K, et al.Pocket depth and bleeding on probing and their associations with dental, lifestyle, socioeconomic and blood variables: a cross-sectional, multicenter feasibility study of the German National Cohort.BMC Oral Health. 2015;15:7. doi:10.1186/1472-6831-15-7Madi M, Smith S, Alshehri S, Zakaria O, Almas K.Influence of smoking on periodontal and implant therapy: a narrative review.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(7):5368. doi:10.3390/ijerph20075368Zou Y, Grender J, Adam R, Levin L.A meta-analysis comparing toothbrush technologies on gingivitis and plaque [published online ahead of print, 2023 Jul 20].Int Dent J. 2023;S0020-6539(23)00100-4. doi:10.1016/j.identj.2023.06.009Kamdem N, Junior GS, Ngokwe ZB, et al.Effect of saline mouthwash on the oral flora.Mod App Dent Oral Health,2022;5(2): MADOHC.MS.ID.000207. doi:10.32474/MADOHC.2022.05.000207

12 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.Periodontal (gum) disease.Nazir MA.Prevalence of periodontal disease, its association with systemic diseases and prevention.Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2017;11(2):72-80.Dubey P, Mittal N.Periodontal diseases—A brief review.Int J Oral Health Dent. 2020;6:177-187. doi:10.18231/j.ijohd.2020.038Costa R, Ríos-Carrasco B, Monteiro L, López-Jarana P, Carneiro F, Relvas M.Association between type 1 diabetes mellitus and periodontal diseases.J Clin Med. 2023;12(3):1147. doi:10.3390/jcm12031147Cleveland Clinic.Oral health problems and diabetes.Negrini TD, Carlos IZ, Duque C, Caiaffa KS, Arthur RA.Interplay among the oral microbiome, oral cavity conditions, the host immune response, diabetes mellitus, and its associated-risk factors—An overview.Front Oral Health. 2021;2:697428. doi:10.3389/froh.2021.697428National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diabetes, gum disease, & other dental problems.National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.Diabetes & oral health.Zimmermann H, Hagenfeld D, Diercke K, et al.Pocket depth and bleeding on probing and their associations with dental, lifestyle, socioeconomic and blood variables: a cross-sectional, multicenter feasibility study of the German National Cohort.BMC Oral Health. 2015;15:7. doi:10.1186/1472-6831-15-7Madi M, Smith S, Alshehri S, Zakaria O, Almas K.Influence of smoking on periodontal and implant therapy: a narrative review.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(7):5368. doi:10.3390/ijerph20075368Zou Y, Grender J, Adam R, Levin L.A meta-analysis comparing toothbrush technologies on gingivitis and plaque [published online ahead of print, 2023 Jul 20].Int Dent J. 2023;S0020-6539(23)00100-4. doi:10.1016/j.identj.2023.06.009Kamdem N, Junior GS, Ngokwe ZB, et al.Effect of saline mouthwash on the oral flora.Mod App Dent Oral Health,2022;5(2): MADOHC.MS.ID.000207. doi:10.32474/MADOHC.2022.05.000207

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.Periodontal (gum) disease.Nazir MA.Prevalence of periodontal disease, its association with systemic diseases and prevention.Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2017;11(2):72-80.Dubey P, Mittal N.Periodontal diseases—A brief review.Int J Oral Health Dent. 2020;6:177-187. doi:10.18231/j.ijohd.2020.038Costa R, Ríos-Carrasco B, Monteiro L, López-Jarana P, Carneiro F, Relvas M.Association between type 1 diabetes mellitus and periodontal diseases.J Clin Med. 2023;12(3):1147. doi:10.3390/jcm12031147Cleveland Clinic.Oral health problems and diabetes.Negrini TD, Carlos IZ, Duque C, Caiaffa KS, Arthur RA.Interplay among the oral microbiome, oral cavity conditions, the host immune response, diabetes mellitus, and its associated-risk factors—An overview.Front Oral Health. 2021;2:697428. doi:10.3389/froh.2021.697428National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diabetes, gum disease, & other dental problems.National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.Diabetes & oral health.Zimmermann H, Hagenfeld D, Diercke K, et al.Pocket depth and bleeding on probing and their associations with dental, lifestyle, socioeconomic and blood variables: a cross-sectional, multicenter feasibility study of the German National Cohort.BMC Oral Health. 2015;15:7. doi:10.1186/1472-6831-15-7Madi M, Smith S, Alshehri S, Zakaria O, Almas K.Influence of smoking on periodontal and implant therapy: a narrative review.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(7):5368. doi:10.3390/ijerph20075368Zou Y, Grender J, Adam R, Levin L.A meta-analysis comparing toothbrush technologies on gingivitis and plaque [published online ahead of print, 2023 Jul 20].Int Dent J. 2023;S0020-6539(23)00100-4. doi:10.1016/j.identj.2023.06.009Kamdem N, Junior GS, Ngokwe ZB, et al.Effect of saline mouthwash on the oral flora.Mod App Dent Oral Health,2022;5(2): MADOHC.MS.ID.000207. doi:10.32474/MADOHC.2022.05.000207

National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.Periodontal (gum) disease.

Nazir MA.Prevalence of periodontal disease, its association with systemic diseases and prevention.Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2017;11(2):72-80.

Dubey P, Mittal N.Periodontal diseases—A brief review.Int J Oral Health Dent. 2020;6:177-187. doi:10.18231/j.ijohd.2020.038

Costa R, Ríos-Carrasco B, Monteiro L, López-Jarana P, Carneiro F, Relvas M.Association between type 1 diabetes mellitus and periodontal diseases.J Clin Med. 2023;12(3):1147. doi:10.3390/jcm12031147

Cleveland Clinic.Oral health problems and diabetes.

Negrini TD, Carlos IZ, Duque C, Caiaffa KS, Arthur RA.Interplay among the oral microbiome, oral cavity conditions, the host immune response, diabetes mellitus, and its associated-risk factors—An overview.Front Oral Health. 2021;2:697428. doi:10.3389/froh.2021.697428

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diabetes, gum disease, & other dental problems.

National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.Diabetes & oral health.

Zimmermann H, Hagenfeld D, Diercke K, et al.Pocket depth and bleeding on probing and their associations with dental, lifestyle, socioeconomic and blood variables: a cross-sectional, multicenter feasibility study of the German National Cohort.BMC Oral Health. 2015;15:7. doi:10.1186/1472-6831-15-7

Madi M, Smith S, Alshehri S, Zakaria O, Almas K.Influence of smoking on periodontal and implant therapy: a narrative review.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(7):5368. doi:10.3390/ijerph20075368

Zou Y, Grender J, Adam R, Levin L.A meta-analysis comparing toothbrush technologies on gingivitis and plaque [published online ahead of print, 2023 Jul 20].Int Dent J. 2023;S0020-6539(23)00100-4. doi:10.1016/j.identj.2023.06.009

Kamdem N, Junior GS, Ngokwe ZB, et al.Effect of saline mouthwash on the oral flora.Mod App Dent Oral Health,2022;5(2): MADOHC.MS.ID.000207. doi:10.32474/MADOHC.2022.05.000207

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