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The Risk between Diabetes and Periodontal Disease

The Risk between Diabetes and Periodontal Disease

By Reno Laser Dentistry

January 21, 2012

Category: Gum Disease

Tags: Reno Dental Oral Health Care Reno Laser Dentist Periodontal Disease

Did you ever think that your dentist could tell you if you are at risk for diabetes just by examining your mouth? Did you know that diabetes and periodontal disease may have a link according to recent studies?

According to a recent article in the Dental Tribune, “Dental professionals on the front line in the fight against diabetes.

NEW YORK, N.Y., USA: An as-yet unstoppable increase in the number of people with diabetes or pre-diabetes in the United States and across the globe makes it not so much a question of if but when more dental professionals will need to become highly skilled in treating such patients. There are 26 million people with diabetes in the U.S., and 95 percent of them have a form of periodontal disease, compared with 50 percent of the general population.

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Of those 26 million, more than 7 million are unaware of their diabetes. Just as significant, 79 million people are estimated to have pre-diabetes, with as many as half unaware of it. A growing body of research suggests that the association between oral health and diabetes is bidirectional, placing dental professionals in the position of not just being able to help patients with diabetes control the illness, but perhaps being able to help those with pre-diabetes avoid full onset.

Recognizing this link between oral health and diabetes, Colgate Total® is donating $100,000 and joining forces with the American Diabetes Association’s campaign to “Stop Diabetes” by encouraging people to learn more about oral health care and “Raise Their Hand to Stop Diabetes.”

Central to the campaign’s focus are educating people on the importance of dental visits — as well as helping dental professionals, who are seeing growing numbers of patients with diabetes. Colgate’s involvement also stems from its interest in promoting the use of antibacterial toothpastes such as Colgate Total to support gum health.

Also helping with the effort is Maria Emanuel Ryan, DDS, PhD, a periodontist and professor of oral biology and pathology at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, N.Y. A globally known expert on the link between oral health and diabetes, Ryan recently spoke with Dental Tribune.

Dental Tribune: What size of a patient base are we talking about in terms of the need for achieving greater awareness?

Dr. Maria Emanuel Ryan: Some of the talks I have given have been at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They have an interest in this area because to them diabetes is an epidemic. Each year we have 1.9 million new cases diagnosed in people 20 years of age and older. If the population of people with diabetes keeps growing at this rate, in the very near future it will be about one in three, which is a very significant number.

What can dental professionals do to help identify patients who have diabetes or pre-diabetes but have not been diagnosed?

Certainly we can screen for diabetes. And this is being recommended by the CDC. One way is by risk assessment: knowing a patient’s family history, looking at obesity as a risk factor, looking to determine if the patient is in one of the populations where risk factors may be higher [African Americans, Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, Latinos and Hispanics]; asking about gestational diabetes. Most patients with diabetes are type 2 patients, who tend to be older than 45 years of age. Risk factors such as hypertension and dyslipidemia are also important to consider. Of course, there are the classic signs and symptoms: thirst, frequent urination, infections, and numbness in extremities, leg cramps, and vision problems. Unfortunately, with type 2 diabetes, there are many people who are unaware they have it. That’s why the CDC is looking to oral health care professionals for help. If a person has any of the risk factors, signs or symptoms, dental professionals can refer to the physician for additional screening, or obtain a random blood glucose level or even a fasting blood glucose level and then refer appropriate patients to the physician for diagnosis.”

You can read the full article at http://www.dental-tribune.com/articles/content/scope/news/region/usa/id/7164

As a dentist we come across many issues that many patients may not want to discuss but prevention is the key, contact Dr. McElhinney’s dental practice located in Reno with any questions.