Patients with diabetes can be slightly more likely to suffer from gum disease and tooth decay than patients without diabetes. While there is no guarantee that anyone will be decay-free whether they are diabetic or not, patterns from studies show that 62% of diabetic patients suffer from gum disease or active decay in their mouths. It is important to manage diabetes, whether it is type one or type two. If you or someone in your family has diabetes, please speak to your GP before booking your dental visit. Dental treatment for diabetic patients is more or less the same as treatment for non-diabetic patients, however it is important that we are aware of any medications, allergies or recent episodes related to your condition.

There are a number of medical conditions which can affect your dental health – for example some mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety or bulimia, arthritic conditions affecting the jaw and forms of cancer can all affect your teeth. Many medications can have “dry mouth” as a side effect. If the medication is only going to be taken for the short term, there should not be a huge impact on your dental health. However, if the medication is a long term treatment, e.g. antidepressants or cancer fighting drugs, it’s really important that you schedule frequent check-up and clean appointments for your teeth. We recommend quarterly appointments for patients who suffer from dry mouth as a result of medication. If you are unsure whether or not your condition or medication is affecting your dental health, make an appointment with us to ease your mind.