By Mary Otto
Periodontal (gum) disease is a recognized complication of diabetes.
Beyond the fact that people with diabetes are more likely to suffer from periodontal disease, some studies point to a bi-directional relationship between the two diseases. They suggest that the presence of periodontal disease makes diabetes harder to control.
The seminal work of researcher Robert Genco, D.D.S., Ph.D., at the University at Buffalo has contributed much to the understanding of associations between the diseases which together afflict millions of Americans.
Genco’s research into the links between diabetes and periodontal disease began in the early 1980s in the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona where periodontal disease and type 2 diabetes were rampant.
Genco and his team found that diabetes clearly conferred a substantially increased risk of periodontal disease. Many studies by other researchers would bear out that conclusion. After decades of study, much remains unknown about the relationship between the two diseases, yet the body’s inflammatory response is seen as playing a central role. Diabetes is suspected of exacerbating periodontal disease “through an exaggerated inflammatory response to periodontal microflora.”
Researchers also point to a relationship between the degree of hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, in diabetic patients and the severity of periodontal disease. Some studies have found periodontal treatments have been followed by improved glycemic control. Others have been less conclusive.
Experts say more large, carefully controlled studies are needed to determine the potential periodontal treatments may have to improve glycemic control.
Here is an additional useful tip sheet on oral health and diabetes compiled by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.
It includes oral health tips for diabetics and links to government, professional and nonprofit links to information about oral health and diabetes that should serve as good sources for reporters.
