Diabetes & Periodontal Disease

oral systemic links

The fields of medicine and dentistry have been collaborating in an effort to determine the systemic health risks presented by periodontal disease. Patients affected with Diabetes fall into one of the highest risk categories for the development of periodontal disease. The small blood vessels which supply the gingival and bone around teeth are often compromised in diabetes, particularly in uncontrolled diabetes.

When this happens a bacterial insult may have a more significant effect due to an attenuated immune response, and those immune cells which reach the site of injury may themselves not function as well as in a person without diabetes. The additional problems that arise from having periodontal disease and diabetes is that the overall stress on the immune system increases, many inflammatory markers are common to periodontal disease and when these become elevated in a person with diabetes the ability to maintain glycemic control becomes compromised.

Our office has developed a conservative protocol for the management of patients with periodontal disease and diabetes and a periodontist is the most qualified practitioner to care for your special needs. Please bring your more recent lab findings to your screening appointment including your HbA1c and daily blood sugar readings.

Many of the physicians in the area work with us directly, please let your primary care physician, internist or endocrinologist know that you will be working with us so that we may coordinate our efforts with theirs. Remember periodontal disease like diabetes is not cured, rather it is monitored and managed by our combined efforts.

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