It’s not entirely uncommon for children to be born with, or later be diagnosed with diabetes, most often type 1, especially under the age of 10, but with greater incidence of type 2 seen between the ages of 10 and 20. According to the 2014 National Diabetes Statistics Report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are slightly over 200,000 people under the age of 20 diagnosed with diabetes, accounting for roughly 25% of the population in this age group.

If your child is diagnosed with diabetes, you are no doubt understandably concerned about the potential health ramifications. With proper monitoring and care, diabetes can be managed, but as you may already know, both types of diabetes can result in elevated blood glucose levels, leading to issues like a weak immune system, tissue inflammation, and potential increases in bacteria in the body. None of this is great for overall health, but you might not realize that your child’s oral health could also suffer due to diabetes.

How, exactly, can your child’s oral health be affected by diabetes? What can you do to combat potential problems with oral health? Here are a few things every parent should know when it comes to protecting the oral health of a child diagnosed with diabetes.

Effects of Diabetes on Oral Health

The main problem associated with diabetes where oral health is concerned is an increased prevalence of serious tooth decay and gum disease, including gingivitis and periodontitis. This link has been studied extensively and found to exist in both adults and children. It is estimated that about 22% of diabetic patients also suffer from gum disease, and that children with diabetes have much higher incidence of gum disease than their non-diabetic peers.

Why? There are several possible reasons. For one thing, children with diabetes may not be diagnosed as quickly as adults and may therefore not begin treating symptoms as quickly. Adults are also likely to take better care of their teeth than children in general, but especially young children. In addition, there are issues like xerostomia, or dry mouth, to consider.

When the mouth doesn’t produce enough saliva, bacteria can flourish and invade healthy tissue, or exacerbate existing problems like inflammation and infection that have already set in. Unfortunately, this symptom is more common in children than adults. About 53% of adolescents with diabetes suffer from dry mouth.

Children with diabetes may also experience symptoms like slower healing time, increased infection (both incidence and severity), fungal infection, burning mouth syndrome, and more. This can be understandably difficult for both children and parents to cope with, but keeping a child’s mouth clean and healthy is imperative, especially with diabetes, and there are several things parents can do to alleviate oral health symptoms.

At-Home Care

Although children with diabetes are at greater risk for inflammation, infection, gum disease, and tooth decay, they can maintain good oral health with a proper regimen of care. The first step is to carefully regulate your child’s diet, especially sugar intake, to ensure the best possible overall health, which is naturally a contributing factor when it comes to oral health.

Next you need to make sure that your child follows a proper oral health routine. This means brushing at least twice daily (although ideally, after every meal) with a gentle toothbrush, following the 2-minute benchmark for optimal cleaning. Your child should also floss after brushing and rinse with appropriate mouthwash. If your child is one of many with diabetes that suffers from dry mouth, a non-alcoholic mouthwash is preferable, and you might want to consider a product like Biotene that is specially designed to provide hydration and healing for patients with dry mouth.

Partnering with Professionals

It’s important to seek professional help with oral care when your child is diagnosed with diabetes. Seek a dentist that has the knowledge and experience to help you create a proper regimen of oral care for your child. Your dentist may recommend more frequent visits, as many as 3-4 annually, to keep a close eye on your child’s oral health and catch early warning signs of issues like gum disease so they can be addressed post haste. Partnering with a qualified professional is one of the best ways to help your child maintain optimal oral health after a diagnosis of diabetes.