Diabetics Don't Know Their Dental Risks
March 5, 2008

by Nancy Volkers
InteliHealth News Service

INTELIHEALTH - More people with diabetes need to know about their risk for gum problems, a study concludes.

The study was done by researchers from the University Dental School and Hospital in Cork, Ireland. They found that two-thirds of adult diabetics did not know they had an increased risk of periodontal disease.

The researchers surveyed 101 adults with diabetes. About 30% had type 1 diabetes. The rest had type 2 diabetes.

Almost all of them knew about their risks of circulatory problems, eye disease and kidney disease. And 84% knew they were at risk for heart disease. But only 33% knew that people with diabetes are more likely to have periodontal disease. About half of the people who knew about this risk were told by a dentist.

Less than half of the diabetics had visited a dentist in the last year. The diabetics with the least control over their blood sugar also were more likely to have lost some natural teeth.

The researchers suggest that more education is needed to let diabetics know about their dental-related risks.

The study appears in the March issue of the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation.