Generations of Smiles | Issue 08

08 issue

nov ‘22

Generations of Smiles Oral Health Means Better Health At Every Age and Every Stage

Dentists, Doctors And Diabetes: The Data Is In

Quality care from sea to shining sea.

Diagnosing Diabetes from the Dentist Chair People with untreated diabetes are up to three times more likely to develop gum disease. And untreated gum disease can lead to oral infections, which can increase blood glucose (blood sugar) levels and in turn aggravate, you guessed it, diabetes. What a vicious cycle!

So, how do we break the cycle and who do we ask for help? When it comes to the Mouth-Body Connection®, a team approach works best. If you and your primary doctor are key players, then your Smile Generation®-trusted dentist is the MVP. More than 37 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, and around 70% of people over 65 have gum infections. Oftentimes, these conditions go undiagnosed and untreated. That’s why Smile Generation-trusted offices provide testing to determine if you are at risk for having diabetes. This screening will give you an opportunity to choose a preventative and proactive approach to your overall health.

Periodontal disease causes breakdown of the gum tissue and bone. Creating pockets for bacterial infections. These infections have been linked to diabetes as well as cardiovascular disease and even Alzheimer’s. This is one reason why regular dental visits are so important.

Caring for your overall health can start in the dental office. Together – you, your doctor, and your dental hygienist – make a powerful team. And that’s something to smile about.

Until next time,

Carolyn Ghazal, DDS

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Keep smiling!

It makes others feel good!

Contents Diabetes and Oral Health Find out how diabetes can have negative effects on your mouth, including periodontal disease, tooth loss and more.

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Gratitude Gratitude can have a greater impact on your health than you may have realized—learn.

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Do you know your OQ? Your oral health quotient (OQ) could have a big impact on your overall health. Take the test and learn how a healthier future starts with a healthy mouth!

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The Worst Foods for Your Teeth and Diabetes Some foods and drinks are bad for your teeth and gums. Some are detrimental to your diabetes.

Which ones are bad for both?

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The Best Foods for Both Your Teeth and Diabetes Find the foods that do a favor for your teeth and diabetes.

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Take the Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test In as little as 60 seconds, you can learn your risk and what you can do to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.

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The Importance of Dental-Medical Integration Find out why Smile Generation-trusted dental practices believe dental care should take into account whole-health considerations.

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Smile Stories: Eddie’s story Meet Eddie, an inspiring friend and patient at The PDS Foundation® Dentists for Special Needs.

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Diabetes and

Oral Health

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What is the relationship between diabetes and oral health?

True or False?

People with diabetes are at increased risk of developing serious oral health issues, such as periodontitis and tooth loss.

If you chose “True”, smile: you’re a winner! If not, it’s time to brush up on the latest research about diabetes and oral health.

Dentists are starting to offer blood sugar screening tests and even tests that analyze the bacteria in your mouth. The results of these tests may indicate additional treatment or care is required. These tests can tip off your dentist to new or worsening diabetes – so that you can get the help you need.

The website of the American Diabetes Association®’s promotes the dentist’s role in overall health: Did you know that it’s possible for your dentist to refer you to your doctor to get screened for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes? A study published recently in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care found that nearly 1 in 5 people with severe gum disease had type 2 diabetes and didn’t know it.

"Dental practices that offer saliva and blood tests find that patients appreciate being put in the drivers’ seat when it comes to their overall health,” said Dr. Deepika Dhama, a dentist based in Corona, Calif.

“When I talk to them about their blood sugar, I see lightbulbs going off.

They realize, ‘Oh, maybe that infection in my mouth could be causing my blood sugar to be high,’” she said.

“Then patients get their cleaning and say, ‘I feel so much better now that the bacteria is gone.’ They are really understanding the connection and the value of dental care.”

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Gratitude.

It does a body good and can even help with diabetes.

You probably know that gratitude can have a great effect on emotional well-being. But did you know it could impact your physical well-being too? The key link appears to lie in a good night’s sleep. And the key to that? Gratitude!1 The link also extends to diabetes management. Simply put: more gratitude = better sleep = better self-care, which is a critical part of managing diabetes. The CDC

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has reported that optimizing sleep duration and quality may help improve blood glucose management in persons with type 2 diabetes.2 As it turns out, gratitude does a body good in more ways than one!

More Gratitude =Better Sleep

= Better Self-Care

Colgate-Palmolive

The most common disease in the world is right under our nose — cavities.

You may know your IQ or your EQ, but do you Know Your OQ™?

Take Colgate's free 10 question assessment to determine your oral health quotient. In just 2–3 minutes, you'll know your OQ score and be on your way to a healthier future.

Take the quiz

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The Worst Foods for Your Teeth and Diabetes What we consume daily for food and drink has an immense effect on our bodies.

As a benefit, food gives us nutrients and energy to help our bodies get through our daily lives.

But the opposite is also true. Food and drinks that are bad for us can negatively impact our whole health, including our bodies, heart, liver and more.

It’s even true for our mouths. We largely know about food that’s bad for your teeth and gums. And we largely know about the food and drinks that affect your blood glucose management.

But which food and drinks are bad for both? We tried to break it down and identify some of the eats that may be harmful to your mouth – especially if you’re at risk for diabetes.

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Soda

Really, it’s any sugary drink (including juices, sports drinks and energy drinks), but soda can do the most damage. The drink is not only acidic, but the sugar leads to cavities and erodes your teeth. On the diabetes side, the sugar and fructose found in soda can lead to weight gain, that can lead to insulin resistance which can cause higher blood glucose levels.

Snack Foods Snacks such as pretzels and crackers are often highly processed foods that contain refined flour, which contain high amounts of carbs and can quickly raise blood sugar. Furthermore, some studies have linked these refined carbohydrates to inflammation that could worsen gingivitis and periodontitis.

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Sugary Desserts

Similar to soda, the reason is sugar, sugar, sugar. Cakes, cookies, pies, candy all have a lot of sugar, which makes it difficult for your saliva to wash it away. Thus, that’s how cavities and tooth decay can set in.

Eating too much of these high-carb sweets can lead to high blood glucose, which puts you at risk for the complications of diabetes.

Dried Fruits

Dried fruit may seem like a healthy choice, but the loss of water leads to a higher concentration of sugar and carbohydrates. For example, raisins contain more than four times as many carbs as grapes do. Because dried fruit is often sticky, that high amount of sugar can stay on your teeth and in your mouth, leading to tooth erosion.

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White Carbs Starchy carbs found in white bread and white rice was associated with a higher risk of cavities.

Eating too much these breads, rice and pastas have also been shown to significantly increase blood sugar levels in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

If you can give up or significantly limit the amount of those items going into your mouth, it will positively impact your health.

And no matter what you eat or drink, make sure that you’re brushing at least twice a day, flossing and seeing your dentist regularly. Let your dentist know if you have any dental problems or if you have diabetes.

Because while sugar is sweet, it may sour your smile and health.

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BEST FOODS for BOTH YOUR TEETH and DIABETES

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Broccoli: Loaded with vitamins and minerals such as folic acid, potassium and Vitamins C & K. It also is an excellent source of fiber and like most non-starchy vegetables is low in carbohydrate.

Eggs: An excellent source of high quality protein as well as an important source of vitamins and minerals.

Eggs also contain lutein, a compound that has beneficial effects on eye health. The egg yolk is a source of cholesterol, so check with your health care provider on the recommended amounts if you have heart disease.

Citrus fruits: Fruits are a great source of vitamins and fiber. Citrus fruits such as oranges or grapefruit are high in vitamin C. Fruits such as strawberries and blueberries contain antioxidants which help fight inflammation.

Almonds: Almonds are rich in vitamin E and magnesium and potassium. They are also high in fiber and a good source of healthy fat.

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I took a step into a healthy future.

It started with a simple test.

smilegeneration.com/mbc/diabetes

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Both diabetes and gum disease are linked to high blood glucose (blood sugar) levels, diet and inflammation. That is why getting a handle on oral health can make a significant impact on a person's diabetes management. The key to prevention is knowing your risk. Learn your risk by completing the free 60-Second Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test below.

Take the Risk Test In as little as 60 seconds, you can learn your risk and what you can do to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Start Now

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The Importance of Dental-Medical Integration Medical

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Dental

When a patient sees a cardiologist, neurologist or other medical specialist, the doctor will take their overall health into consideration. But when a patient sees their dentist, that’s not always the case. Why? Smile Generation®-trusted dental practices believe dental care should be given the same whole-health consideration and is using the latest proven technology to make it happen.

All Smile Generation-trusted dental practices are now on Epic, the most widely used comprehensive electronic health records system in the United States. Since most hospital- and group-affiliated medical providers also use Epic, your dentist can now easily exchange relevant health data with your medical providers. And that benefits everyone: • It helps dental and medical professionals provide more predictive and preventive care, identifying conditions like diabetes or cardiovascular disease earlier.

• It lets patients view your medical and dental health records all in one place and easily communicate with doctors and dentists, schedule appointments, request prescription refills and more.

Your smile matters to Smile Generation-trusted dentists.

And guess what? The rest of your body does, too!

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Meet Eddie!

And find out how he found a dental home.

One of the biggest challenges facing the 52 million people in the U.S. with a disability is simply finding a good, local dentist. See how Eddie’s beating the odds and inspiring us all.

Healthie Happi Generations of Smiles A Smile Generation Magazine

LET'S DO THIS AGAIN! The Smile Generation exists to connect you with trusted dentists in your area and to offer education on the critical link between oral and overall health. We’d love to know what you think of our magazine.

DROP US A NOTE!

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Sources Diagnosing Diabetes from the Dentist Chair 1. Periodontitis And Diabetes: A Two-Way Relationship, National Library of Medicine, Diabetologia, 2012

The Worst Foods For Both Your Teeth and Your Diabetes 1. 7 Foods That May Damage Your Teeth, Healthline.com, July 20, 2021 2. 11 Foods And Drinks To Avoid With Diabetes, Healthline.com, September 24, 2020 3. Ibid 4. An Oral Health Optimized Diet Can Reduce Gingival And Periodontal Inflammation In Humans - A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study, National Library of Medicine, BMC Oral Health, July 26, 2016 5. Diabetic Diet, Medline Plus 6. 11 Foods And Drinks To Avoid With Diabetes, Healthline.com, September 24, 2020 7. Dried Fruit and Dental Health, National Library of Medicine, July 14, 2016 8. The Consumption Of Processed Sugar- And Starch-Containing Foods, And Dental Caries: A Systematic Review, National Library of Medicine, November 6, 2020 9. 11 Foods And Drinks To Avoid With Diabetes, Healthline.com, September 24, 2020

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Best Foods for Both Your Teeth and Diabetes 1. Fullonbuzz

Pop Quiz: What is the Relationship Between Diabetes and Oral Health?

1. Diabetes And Oral Health, American Diabetes Association 2. How Do You Speak Metabolic Health/Diabetes And Periodontal Disease To Your Patients?, Trends In Salivary Testing 3. The Variations of Some Salivary Parameters as Probable Indices of the Hereditary Diabetes, National Library of Medicine, January 15, 2019 4. Oral Fluid Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP)-8 As A Diagnostic Tool In Chronic Periodontitis, Dovepress

Gratitude 1. Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation, Can, Gratitude Improve Health?

2. CDC.Gov, Sleep and Chronic Disease

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