Dentists Could Play a Future Role in Diagnosing Diabetes

By David Stack It is often assumed that a dentist’s influence is limited to the mouth. However, dentists can play an important role in diagnosing systematic disease. New research shows that routine dental exams can find evidence of early diabetes, which allows dentists to help patients avoid serious health problems through early diagnosis. While it is widely known that high body mass index (BMI) is associated with diabetes, it is often less reported that there can be serious periodontal risks as well. A study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association demonstrated that patients who had undiagnosed diabetes mellitus (UDM) were much more likely to also suffer from periodontal diseases. Diabetes impacts nearly 425 million people disease in every APP designated level of severity. globally, and it represents a major cause of damage to These observed outcomes are not isolated, and in the heart, extremities, and oral cavity. As such, the fact, the subjects were drawn from the Atherosclerosis authors of the research reported that since there is a Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, a “large significant association between diabetes, periodontal population-based longitudinal cohort that began in disease, and high BMI, it would be a significant 1987” to observe abnormalities in patients’ arterial contribution to the field of public health if dentists walls. Information was collected from the study would regularly perform screenings for UDM. including patient medical histories, biomarkers, and A common causal factor of insulin resistance oral health screenings. When the populations of the may be the reason for obesity, UDM, and periodontal contributing studies were analyzed for demographic disease working in conjunction to cause illness. data, it became apparent that the large sample sizes’ According to the study, “people who are obese are medical histories, rigorous methodology, and thorough 35% more likely to have periodontal disease and 10 periodontal examinations showed with a high level of times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than confidence that there was a clear and substantive people of normal weight.” This elevated risk may correlation between UDM, periodontal disease, and cause serious consequences in at risk patients, high BMI. especially in regards to their oral health. Ultimately, the research concludes that in Periodontal disease, or chronic infection of the doing regular diabetes screenings in obese patients oral cavity, leaves patients susceptible to severe and patients with periodontal disease, dental practices infections, discomfort, and in many cases would be able to help identify undiagnosed diabetes. edentulousness (toothlessness). According to the In doing so, dentists would also be able to aid in Centers for Disease Control and American Academy initiating proactive measures to help their patients and of Periodontology (CDC-AAP), both patients with improve both baseline health and quality of life. severe periodontal disease and edentulous patients were highly likely to have UDM. Further, obese David Stack is a Pre-dental student at the Columbia patients had twice the likelihood of having periodontal University.