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Good oral health can prevent diabetes

16 Friday Nov 2018

Posted by in health and wellness, oral health

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By Tim Sandle     Nov 14, 2018 in Health

A new campaign has been launched to assist with World Diabetes Day, focused on dental health. The campaign is being run by Sunstar and the European Federation of Periodontology, and it is called the ‘Perio & Diabetes’ Campaign.

The campaign has been launched due to the connection between oral health and diabetes. Here medical data shows that those with periodontal disease have a 20-30 percent higher risk of developing diabetes. Moreover, some 415 million people have diabetes and 750 million people have periodontal disease worldwide.

World Diabetes Day falls on November 14, although a series of associated events also run beforehand and afterwards. The day is the primary global awareness campaign focusing on diabetes mellitus, and it is led by the International Diabetes Federation.

When someone has diabetes, then this means that their pancreas is unable to produce enough or any insulin to break down the glucose in their blood. This condition can lead to a significant increase in a person’s blood sugar levels. Symptoms of high blood sugar include frequent urination, increased thirst, and increased hunger.

With the new campaign from Sunstar, a holistic healthcare company, this is focused on research examining the two-way relationship between oral health and diabetes, designed to run over a thirty-year period. This research, in conjunction with the European Federation of Periodontology, is important not only because those with periodontal disease have a much greater risk of developing diabetes; it also stands that those who have diabetes are more likely to develop gum (gingivitis) disease.

The way to help to address these issues is to maintain good oral health, especially for people with diabetes. Maintaining good oral health can assist with reducing blood sugar levels. This is the central message that forms part of the ‘Perio & Diabetes Campaign’.

Essential oral care recommendations include visits to a dentist twice a year; brushing teeth twice per day; and focusing on interdental brushing. According to Dr Marzia Massignani, who is the Senior Manager Scientific Affairs and Corporate Communications at Sunstar: “Early diagnosis of both diabetes and periodontal disease is essential if we want to improve prevention and treatment. It is therefore vital to raise awareness about this existing relationship and provide useful tools to patients, professionals and people at risk.”

As well as the research and advice, the campaign is calling for better surveillance, especially with detecting undiagnosed diabetes or prediabetes conditions in the dental surgery through appropriate instructions produced for dentists.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/life/health/good-oral-health-can-prevent-diabetes/article/536877#ixzz5X3IvRdsQ

Suffering from diabetes? Take extra care of your teeth | Health24

07 Monday May 2018

Posted by in dentist, health and wellness, oral health

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Diabetic? See your Dentist regularly.

Many adults with diabetes don’t see the dentist often enough, even though they’re at increased risk for gum disease, researchers say.

In a new study, investigators analysed data from just over 2.5 million American adults who took part in an annual federal government health survey.

The survey results showed that people with diabetes or prediabetes were least likely to visit the dentist. The study included about 248 000 diabetics, 30 500 people with prediabetes and over 2.2 million without diabetes.

Study author Huabin Luo, of East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, was concerned by the results. “Those who need dental care the most seem to be the least likely to have it,” said Luo, an assistant professor of public health.

Why should diabetics go to the dentist more often?

People with diabetes are at increased risk for gum disease, which can hamper blood-sugar control and speed the progression of diabetes, the study authors explained.

Between 2004 and 2014, annual dental visits fell from 66% to 61% among people with diabetes; from 66% to just under 65% among those with prediabetes; and from nearly 72% to 66.5% for people without diabetes, the study found.

With about 6% of South Africans suffering from diabetes, it’s just as important in this country that diabetics visit the dentist regularly.

The study’s senior author, Bei Wu, says, “For people living with diabetes, regular dental check-ups – paired with proactive dental and diabetes self-care – are important for maintaining good oral health.” Wu is director of Global Health and Aging Research at New York University’s Rory Meyers College of Nursing in New York City.

Avoid diabetic complications

“Regular dental visits provide opportunities for prevention, early detection, and treatment of periodontal [gum] disease, which can potentially help with blood-glucose control and prevent complications from diabetes,” Wu explained in an NYU news release.

Health care workers should encourage people with diabetes to visit a dentist at least once a year, she suggested. “Increasing access to dental services is vital to achieving this goal,” she added.

The report was published online in the Journal of the American Dental Association.

Take care of your teeth

In a previous Health24 article, Cape Town-based dentist Dr Mark Sher emphasised the importance of dental care for diabetics because of the added risk of gum disease, mouth sores, and other issues.

Here are ways to take care of your oral hygiene of you are diabetic:

  • Schedule your dental appointments in accordance with your meal and insulin times to avoid hyper- or hypoglycaemia.
  • If you are diabetic, you will need a more rigorous approach to dental care. Go for teeth cleanings every three months and dental checkups every six months.
  • Brush and floss gently after each meal.
  • Mention bleeding gums to your dentist, as this might be a sign of gum infection.
  • Keep note of any changes, pain, sensitivity or possible mouth sores and mention these to your dentist.

Image credit: iStock

Read more via Suffering from diabetes? Take extra care of your teeth | Health24

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