Hypoglycemia and diet and the mouth

There is no medical cure for the condition. However to control it and prevent type 2 diabetes it’s important to follow a hypoglycemic diet.

Diet guidelines

• Eat a large protein breakfast that contains meat preferably chicken or fish or at least two eggs.
• Eat a low GI snack every 2-3 hours. This generally means a:
  • High protein breakfast
  • Mid morning snack
  • Protein enriched lunch
  • Mid afternoon snack
  • High protein dinner
  • and light snack before bed
• NO SUGAR, honey, molasses, treacle, and corn syrup. If a person needs sweetened food then eat Rice Syrup, Stevia or Xylitol.
• AVOID refine carbohydrates such as white bread, rice, cakes, soft drinks.
• AVOID sugary fruits such as bananas, melon, dates.
• Limit eating of pumpkin, potato, sweet potato but other VEGETABLES EAT AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE.
• AVOID COFFEE, STRONG TEA , NICOTINE, ALCOHOL (most are high in sugar).
• Milk products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, butter.
• Nuts and seeds (raw and unsalted).
• Brown rice products.
• Margarine (non-hydrogenated fats) and other good oils (raw and cold pressed).
• Vitamin supplements – multi B complex, chromium, zinc, Vitamin C.
• Glycerine – 2 teaspoon in a glass of milk or water with a dash of lemon juice three times a day can help coping in a change from a high sugar diet. Glycerine is a vegetable extract that does not affect insulin and is a fast energy supply for the brain.

Warning signs of Hypoglycemia

Include getting tired/exhausted, forgetting things easily, depressed, trouble concentrating, nervous, easily angry, crave/eat sweets, finally awake during the night.

IT’S IMPORTANT TO DIET CONTROL HYPOGLYCEMIA TO PREVENT TYPE 2 DIABETES.

Effects on the mouth

It’s important to have the mouth checked for decay or early signs of decay, or a dry mouth from excessive caffeine and use of nicotine. This leads to a softening of the enamel as caffeine and excessive sugars reduces the buffer capacity of the saliva to reduce acidity and protect the teeth. The use of special tooth pastes may be helpful.

High fluoride tooth pastes help prevent decay in high risk patients who get decay easily due to their sugar cravings. Tooth mousse toothpaste can help hydrate the enamel by delivering calcium via the casein protein (a type of milk protein). Seymour Dental can best advise you on the best toothpaste to use.

Early diagnosis of diabetes is uncontrolled periodontitis. This is gum disease where bone loss around the teeth is occurring. This happens as the immune system has been compromised by the glucose balance in the body. This glucose is the energy source for white blood cells that fight infections in the mouth. They become “lazy” and the gum disease can then become aggressive due to the decrease of the body’s immune response. This is reduced by the teeth being professionally cleaned on a regular basis. Also more importantly cleaned by the person correctly.

The less the body has the deal with, the less complications to your health.

Effects on the jaw

In some situations the enamel had become soft enough to cause the jaws to “play with it”, leading to grinding of the teeth. Sometimes the enamel can be worn through to the next layer called the dentine causing sensitivity. The grinding of the teeth can also cause jaw joint problems requiring the construction of an occlusal splint. This is an hard acrylic device that is worn generally over the upper teeth to protect the teeth from wear and cracks and provide the jaw joint with a stable bite.

Our mission

At Seymour Dental we are dedicated to providing personal care to assist you in achieving excellent health outcomes for life!

Visit also the Hypoglycemic Association of Australia website for more information, counseling and support.

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