Abstract
Since the US Surgeon General's report on oral health in the year 2000, there has been an increased interest in determining whether a link exists between oral health and overall health. Several systemic diseases appear to be correlated with periodontal disease, an inflammatory disease that affects the soft and hard structures that support the teeth, but the mechanisms are generally unknown. This presentation will evaluate the “association” and “reversibility” between diabetes and oral health, on the basis of an evaluation of the highest level of evidence (meta-analyses and systematic reviews) available up to March 2014. The high-level evidence indicates that patients with diabetes had significantly more severe markers for periodontal disease activity (e.g. poorer oral hygiene levels, more severe gingival disease and more severe periodontitis). The treatment of periodontitis and regular preventive measures including scaling is efficacious in improving glycemic control in patients with diabetes, lending further support to the concept that the association is reversible. An understanding of these correlations is important to allow dental and diabetes healthcare providers to inform their patients of increased risks and to counsel such patients to seek additional medical and dental assessment or intervention, as indicated.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.