News and Views

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The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recently noted the importance of oral systemic health — by linking diabetes and oral health.

Monday, November 4, 2024 | Posted in GEHA Connection Dental Network News

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The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recently noted the importance of oral systemic health — by linking diabetes and oral health.

Here are some insights from the World Journal of Diabetes:

• Bidirectional association: The link between type 2 diabetes mellitus and periodontitis is well-established, making periodontal disease the sixth major complication of diabetes.
• Systemic impact: Periodontal inflammation can worsen systemic insulin resistance, exacerbating diabetes.
• Prevalence and risks: Poor glycemic control in diabetic patients is associated with a higher prevalence of periodontitis, increased inflammation and tissue destruction, potentially leading to tooth loss if untreated.
• Predictive factors in development of periodontitis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus:
• Low tooth brushing frequency resulted in four times the risk in patients with type two diabetes mellitus (OR = 4.3)
• High triglycerides resulted in three times the risk (OR = 3.31)
• High cholesterol resulted in over two times the risk (OR = 2.87)
• Higher HbA1c resulted in over twice the risk (OR = 2.55)
• Higher education resulted in about half the risk (OR = 0.53)

Implications for practice:
Glycemic control improvement:

• Cochrane Collaboration: Moderate-certainty evidence suggests that treating periodontitis with subgingival instrumentation can improve glycemic control in diabetic patients.
• Treatment results in a mean absolute reduction in HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin) of 0.43% (4.7 mmol/mol) at 3 to 4 months, with effects lasting up to 12 months.
• Journal of Clinical Periodontology: Periodontal therapy may particularly benefit diabetic individuals with HbA1c levels =7.0%.

Additional educational resource:

• Centers for Disease Control (CDC): For patient education materials, refer to the Oral Health and Diabetes section on the CDC website link below.

OR, Odds ratio.

SOURCES:
Periodontitis: An often-neglected complication of diabetes | World J Diabetes
Treatment of periodontitis for glycaemic control in people with diabetes mellitus - PMC (nih.gov)
Oral health and diabetes: What to know | CDC
Effect of periodontal therapy on glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes | Journal of Clinical Periodontology

The information contained herein is for informational and educational purposes only. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice and if you have questions regarding a medical condition, regimen, or treatment you should always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider. Never disregard or delay seeking medical advice from a qualified medical professional because of information you have read herein.