Gum inflammation can happen to anyone; however diabetics have a higher risk of this occurring and can lead to other complications. Gum inflammation is also known as gingivitis and peritonitis disease, which impairs the white blood cells. One of the other complications of diabetes is that it causes blood vessels to thicken; this slows the flow of nutrients, along with waste products from body tissues, which includes the mouth. This can cause the body to have the inability to fight infection, and periodontal disease is a bacterial infection.

The person with diabetes that does not have the disease under control and has increasing or decreasing blood sugar levels has a high risk of frequent and more severe gum disease than a person that is diagnosed with diabetes and has their blood glucose level under control.