Diabetes and Oral Health: The Importance of Oral Health–Related Behavior

Preetha P. Kanjirath; Seung Eun Kim; Marita Rohr Inglehart

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this study was to explore oral health–related behavior, how patients with diabetes differ from patients not diagnosed with diabetes in their oral health and whether oral health–related behavior moderates the oral health status of patients with diabetes.

Methods: Survey and chart review data were collected from 448 patients (52% male, 48% female, average age: 57 years) of which 77 were diagnosed with diabetes (17%).

Results: Patients with diabetes had a higher percentage of teeth with mobility than those not diagnosed with diabetes (14% vs. 8%, p=0.023), as well as gingival recession (16% vs. 12%, p=0.035) and more teeth with recession in the esthetic zone (1.17 vs. 0.88, p=0.046). They also had more decayed, missing and filled surfaces due to caries (101 vs. 82, p<0.001) and more missing teeth due to caries (11 vs. 7, p<0.001). Patients with diabetes brushed and flossed less frequently. Patients with diabetes who did not brush regularly had poorer periodontal health (percentage of teeth with probing depth of <4 mm: 82% vs. 60%, p=0.039, 4 to 6 mm: 34% vs. 17%, p=0.059) and more caries (percentage of decayed teeth: 32% vs. 15%, p=0.033) than regularly brushing patients with diabetes.

Conclusion: Educating patients with diabetes about the importance of good oral self care needs to become a priority for their oral health care providers.

Footnotes

Preetha P. Kanjirath, BDS, MDS, MS, is the pre–clinical program director and associate professor at Midwestern University, College of Dental Medicine – Illinois. Seung Eun Kim, DDS, graduated from the University of Michigan – School of Dentistry in May 2009 and is now practicing dentistry in Chicago, Illinois. Marita Rohr Inglehart, Dr. phil. habil., is an associate professor of dentistry and an adjunct associate professor of psychology at the University of Michigan – School of Dentistry and College of Literature, Science and Arts in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
This study supports the NDHRA priority area, Health Promotion/Disease Prevention: Investigate the effectiveness of oral self–care behaviors that prevent or reduce oral diseases among all age, social and cultural groups.