HYPOS AND ORAL HEALTH

Every hypo treatment involves a hit of sugar, so how do you take care of your teeth at the same time? We approached New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA) spokesperson Rob Beaglehole for tips.

If you have type 1 diabetes, or you have type 2 and use insulin or sulphonylurea tablets, hypos – low blood sugars – are likely a part of life. Rob Beaglehole says there are a number of ways that you can look after oral health at the same time.

MINIMISE CONTACT WITH THE TEETH

To keep tooth enamel strong, says Rob, minimise the amount of time the teeth are in contact with sugary substances.

One of the best ways to do this is to treat hypos with juice drunk through a straw. The straw keeps the juice away from your teeth.

Single-serve juice boxes are a popular hypo treatment: they’re quick to consume in an emergency, and you know exactly how much sugar you’re getting in a serve. If these are your favourite treatments, rest assured that they’re also one of the better options for your teeth.

A glass of juice, while it takes a little more effort to measure out, will also be relatively easy on your teeth if you drink it through a straw.

Fast-acting chewable glucose tablets (for example, Dextro Energy tablets) are another good option. In general, your teeth will thank you for hypo treatments that can be chewed quickly. Rob says, “If you're sucking on something over a long period of time, it's going to be worse for your teeth than getting it in fast.”

Meanwhile, the news is bad for jellybean fans: “Jellybeans are probably the worst things, because they stick in your back teeth.”

RINSE WITH WATER

Rob says there’s one particularly important step to take for your oral health: “After any hypo treatment, have water. Rinse the mouth out with water.” The goal is to make sure that sugar and acid aren’t lingering on your teeth.

So should you also brush afterwards? Rob says, “No, water is enough.”

DAY-TO-DAY ORAL CARE

The same general oral-care guidelines apply to people living with diabetes as to others but can be extra important. “Ideally,” says Rob, “you brush your teeth once in the morning and once at night. You don't need to keep brushing throughout the day, because you can actually wear your teeth out, particularly if there's acidic food or drink in your mouth.”

Rob says it’s important to use a fluoride toothpaste, especially if you’re among the 40% of people who live in an area of the country that doesn’t have fluoridated water.*

When you brush, “Put a timer on for two minutes, then spit but don't rinse.” That way the fluoride in your toothpaste remains on your teeth and protects them.

CHECK-UPS

Regular check ups with the community oral health service or your dentist are vital to catch any problems early.

In general, people living with diabetes may be slightly more prone to oral health issues than the general population, partly because of hypo treatments and partly because of sometimes needing to eat more frequently. Rob suggests, if possible, getting a check more often than you would if you weren’t dealing with diabetes: “If you normally would go once every year, you may want to go every six months, for example.”

If you’re working on tightening your control over your blood sugar or reducing the number of lows you have (a different journey for everyone), do bear in mind that this will help with oral health along with the other benefits.

RESOURCES

Treating hypos for type 1: diabetes.org.nz/ type-1-diabetes-hypoglycaemia

Treating hypos for type 2: diabetes.org.nz/ type-2-diabetes-hypoglycaemia

Oral health resources from the NZ Dental Association: nzda.org.nz

* If you would like to know more about your access to fluoridated water, Massey University has produced this information sheet: ehinz.ac.nz/indicators/drinkingwater-quality/access-to-fluoridateddrinking-water