Dental care is an important component to overall health and is particularly important for individuals with diabetes. As educators and diabetes care providers we play an instrumental role in educating patients on the connection between oral health and diabetes, recognizing potential signs of dental disease, and helping to ensure appropriate referrals to dental health professionals. This article will address the correlation between dental disease and diabetes, explore statistics of periodontal disease for patients with diabetes, uncover potential barriers to optimal dental care, and identify strategies to improve patient care and outcomes.
The prevalence of periodontal disease (POD) in the United States is high with 47% of Americans having …show more content…
Include regular brushing, flossing, and using water pick device
➢ Reinforce follow-up with dental professional recommendations for care
➢ Refer to dental professional for cleaning and follow-up care
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) standards of medical care state that the initial medical assessment of a person with diabetes should include a referral to a dentist for comprehensive evaluation (ADA, 2016). The first step is recommending to our patients that they seek dental care. Then, the American Dental Association’s position on the frequency of dental follow-up visits states that dentists should individualize their recommendations for follow-up based on the patient’s current oral health and disease history. Those patients with active disease or at high risk should be seen more frequently and those at low risk may realize the same benefit from even just one cleaning and examination per year (American Dental Association, …show more content…
Many dental schools will see patients for no charge and diabetes care providers may wish to either refer patients directly or, better yet, establish relationships with the schools to facilitate in the referral process and to also promote engagement between our two disciplines. Local dental hygiene schools may also be an option to help meet the need for routine dental cleaning and screenings. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Dental and Craniofacial Research division of the NIH have websites specifically set-up to assist patients and healthcare providers in seeking out these dental school and dental hygiene school resources. In addition, patients may be directed to local federally funded health centers, which frequently have free or low cost dental services available (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, NIH,
The prevalence of periodontal disease (POD) in the United States is high with 47% of Americans having …show more content…
Include regular brushing, flossing, and using water pick device
➢ Reinforce follow-up with dental professional recommendations for care
➢ Refer to dental professional for cleaning and follow-up care
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) standards of medical care state that the initial medical assessment of a person with diabetes should include a referral to a dentist for comprehensive evaluation (ADA, 2016). The first step is recommending to our patients that they seek dental care. Then, the American Dental Association’s position on the frequency of dental follow-up visits states that dentists should individualize their recommendations for follow-up based on the patient’s current oral health and disease history. Those patients with active disease or at high risk should be seen more frequently and those at low risk may realize the same benefit from even just one cleaning and examination per year (American Dental Association, …show more content…
Many dental schools will see patients for no charge and diabetes care providers may wish to either refer patients directly or, better yet, establish relationships with the schools to facilitate in the referral process and to also promote engagement between our two disciplines. Local dental hygiene schools may also be an option to help meet the need for routine dental cleaning and screenings. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Dental and Craniofacial Research division of the NIH have websites specifically set-up to assist patients and healthcare providers in seeking out these dental school and dental hygiene school resources. In addition, patients may be directed to local federally funded health centers, which frequently have free or low cost dental services available (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, NIH,