Diabetes affects your whole body and oral health, especially your teeth and gums. People with diabetes have a higher chance of getting gum disease and Periodontitis. Periodontal disease can lead to chronic bad breath, difficulty eating, pain and even tooth loss. Diabetes can also slow down healing, so it can interfere with treatment of periodontal disease. The effect is even greater when your blood sugar is not well controlled, making it harder to fight bacterial infections.