The inter-relationships between periodontal disease and diabetes mellitus has been the most extensively evaluated relationship of all the systemic influences from gum disease.
Periodontitis (gum disease) has been referred to us as the “sixth classic complication” of diabetes. Periodontitis has both direct and indirect mechanisms that affect your systemic health and the risk of diabetes.
We introduced one of these complications of diabetes in last month’s blog, “Sugar’s Toxicity: A Silent Epidemic“. If you have diabetes, one of the complications is the formation of Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs). The glycation of collagen is thought to be related to increased incidence and severity of periodontitis in patients with diabetes.
Another complication of diabetes, the alteration of immune system function, increases systemic inflammation. This chronic systemic inflammation is seen in both severe periodontist and type 2 diabetes.
Treatment and control of periodontal disease improves glycemic control and reduces the incidence of diabetic complications by 30%.
In their inter-relationship, worsening glycemic control in diabetics has a strong and positive association with the severity of periodontitis.
Treatment of periodontitis is known to reduce an individuals systemic inflammatory burden and reduce the risk of complications for many chronic diseases.
Help keep chronic disease and inflammation under control by regularly visiting your dental office for effective gum disease treatment and control.
“Understanding the Inter-relationship between Periodontitis and Diabetes: Current Evidence and Clinical Implications” by Rachel A. Schallhorn, DDS, MS, Compendium, June, 2016.
Print