Diabetes sufferers should know about the effect gum health has on their overall wellbeing. People suffering from type II diabetes are at a much greater risk for developing periodontal (gum) disease. Once the condition has developed, blood glucose levels (or the amount of sugar in the blood) are increasingly difficult to control. Why? Because people with diabetes are more susceptible to developing infections — and their weakened immune systems mean their bodies have a harder time healing from something like gum disease.