A Message from the Doctor
“After seeing a good friend become severely ill from a long-standing tooth infection, I changed my entire approach to oral health care. I don’t think we fully realize the impact that oral disease has on our total wellbeing.” -Brandon J. Robison, DMD
It’s All Connected
There can be a tendency to disconnect oral health from overall physical health. Our approach is to consider how diseases, in general, are affecting the quality of life of our patients. Our goal: whole health for our patients through the practice of oral health care.
Periodontal Disease and Diabetes
One of our concerns for patients is the relationship between periodontal disease (gum disease) and diabetes. Managing blood sugar levels is key to controlling diabetes but can be more difficult when periodontal disease is present. Bleeding gums, bad breath and/or loose teeth are typical signs of periodontal disease, which can also be one of the first signs of undiagnosed diabetes. This gum infection is essentially an open wound that allows bacteria to enter the bloodstream which is concerning for patients with diabetes.
About 30 million Americans have diabetes and approximately 64 million have periodontal disease. The risk for both diseases increases after the age of 65, which makes early detection/monitoring essential for a better long-term prognosis. Our team works alongside physicians (Jordan Valley Medical Diabetes Center) who specialize in diabetes, to ensure that our patients have access to proper care. Ultimately, we want our patients to be healthy in all aspects of their physical health.