If you're thinking about skipping your regular visit to your dentist, think again.
A New York University nursing-dental research team has discovered that those who have periodontal (gum) disease are also at high risk for diabetes. The same researchers concluded that dentists should consider offering diabetes screenings in their offices.
Using guidelines established by the American Diabetes Association, the team determined that 93 percent of subjects who had periodontal disease were considered high risk for diabetes and should be screened for the disease.
Dentists won't hand out diabetes diagnoses; but, researchers are encouraging dentists to screen patients for diabetes by evaluating other risk factors: obesity, belonging to a high-risk ethnic group, having high blood pressure, having a relative with the disease or having given birth to a baby weighing more than nine pounds. Dentists could also use a glucometer - a tool that measures blood glucose - to analyze blood samples.
At the end of the diabetes evaluation, a dentist might recommend that the patient see a doctor for a true diabetes screening.
Visit AOL Health to learn more about diagnosing diabetes.
1. I commend your efforts to inform the community about the strong link between oral health care and diabetes and please know they are very much appreciated! You should join the online JPEC community by participating in free online CME/CDE/CE activities related to diabetes and oral health. I've participated in these events before and they are extremely informative and helpful. I hope you join to further spread the awareness. You can join through the website at: http://www.jpec.joslin.org
Posted at 12:35PM on Feb 9th 2010 by Tammy