Hi Antonina,

Ok, so if I understand you correctly....you were treated for periodontal disease in the past and have not maintained any regular dental regimen for awhile. If that is correct, then most likely your periodontal disease has progressed because it is the type of infection that needs continual dental care and monitoring. You mentioned that the dentist wanted to extract those teeth because they were infected and loose.....those 2 issues indicate moderate to severe periodontal disease. Perhaps the dentists that you have seen are hesitant to tell you about the perio condition... which fo course is not a valid reason not to inform you.

Please keep in mind that any type of oral infection will make it impossible to regulate your blood sugar, even if you end up taking medication for your diabetes. Perhaps you could ask your next dentist about the health of your gums and what his dental recommendations would be for you. Be sure to tell him that you are diabetic.

Keep us posted.....I wish you well!
Bryanna

Bryanna, thank you very much re: how the oral infection may be impacting blood sugar regulation. No one has ever pointed this out to me. It also could explain why my CRP level is usually slightly elevated. Perhaps the perio disease might be the cause. Various docs have routinely dismissed the CRP results as inconsequential.

I'll see the perio on Nov. 30 and will be sure to discuss the blood sugar issues.

Thanks again for all the valuable information. And, happy birthday wishes!!

Hi antonina,

Yes, your CRP levels can be elevated in part from your periodontal disease. Dentists are knowledgeable enough about the connection between oral inflammation and systemic conditions such as diabetes. So your dentist should be discussing that connection with you. Physicians rarely ask their patients about their dental health, but they should. They also know about the systemic connection and once the patient informs them about their dental health, such as uncontrolled periodontal disease, they take it into consideration when doing blood work, etc.

Please keep us posted on how things are going!
Bryanna