What it is:
Your immune system usually protects your body by attacking unhealthy invading bacteria and viruses. But an autoimmune disease is a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks its own healthy cells. These diseases not only affect your overall health, they can take a toll on your oral health, too.
Here are five common autoimmune diseases and some tips for managing the oral health issues they can cause.
What it is:
Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a disease wherein the immune system attacks the layer that surrounds and protects the nerves of the brain and central nervous system. Messages traveling along the nerves become slowed or disrupted. Due to the nerve damage it causes, MS can be an extremely debilitating disease over time, affecting vision, sensation, coordination and movement.
How it affects oral health:
Depending on how the disease progresses, different areas of the body and nerves can be affected.
What you can do to help protect your oral health
What it is:
Lupus causes the immune system to attack healthy tissue, which can cause damage to many different parts of the body. Signs and symptoms can include:
Symptoms vary among people and can be mild to severe, and there are often periods of illness, called flares, and periods of remission. Lupus is more common among women than men.
How it affects oral health:
What you can do to help protect your oral health
If you’ve been diagnosed with lupus, keep up with regular visits to your dentists. If you’re experiencing dry mouth, be sure to tell your dentist or physician. To help counteract dry mouth:
What it is:
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease primarily affecting the small intestine. Individuals with celiac disease develop an intolerance to gluten, which is found primarily in foods made with wheat, such as breads, pastries and pasta. Approximately 2 million Americans have celiac disease.
How it affects oral health:
What you can do to help protect your oral health
The only treatment for celiac disease is to stick to a gluten-free diet. Monitor your meals carefully, replacing foods with gluten (like traditional breads and pastas) with options made from gluten-free grains and other ingredients such as rice, corn, buckwheat, chickpea flour or millet.
What it is:
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes a rash with itchy, scaly patches. It primarily affects the skin, but it can also appear on other parts of the body and influence overall health.
How it influences oral health:
Although psoriasis primarily affects the skin, it can nonetheless take a toll on oral health:
What you can do to help protect your oral health
Some simple remedies can help ease the irritation caused by oral psoriasis:
If symptoms persist, your dentist or physician may be able to help by prescribing special mouth rinses, steroid creams for the sore areas of your mouth or oral medication for more severe symptoms.
What it is:
If you have Type 1 diabetes, your pancreas doesn’t make enough — or any — insulin. Insulin helps allow blood sugar to enter your cells, so without insulin, blood sugar builds up in the bloodstream.
How it influences oral health:
The higher the blood sugar levels, the higher the risk for:
What you can do to help protect your oral health
Managing blood sugar levels is key to managing type 1 diabetes. It’s also key to maintaining oral health with the condition. If you have type 1 diabetes:
Protecting your oral health with an autoimmune disease
If you’ve been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, be sure to let your dentist know about your condition. Your dentist can help you with a treatment plan that prioritizes your oral and overall health.
Keep up with twice-daily brushing and daily flossing and ask your dentist if you should consider additional dental care. Your dentist may recommend fluoride, more cleanings or other treatment.
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