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 Treating Gum Disease Keeps Diabetes In Check
- India - Diabetic patients with recurring periodontal disease may benefit doubly from treatment of the gum inflammation. A study at the Thiruvananthapuram Dental College tracked 30 patients with moderate to severe gum disease who also had a history of at least one year of known and poorly controlled diabetes. When the patients were treated for gingival inflammation, their diabetes also improved, even though there were no changes made in diet, exercise or diabetes medication.
- Patients who had suffered from gum disease for a longer time also showed more severe diabetic status. The patients' diabetes was evaluated using a fructosamine assay, which measures the level of that plasma protein, a combination of glucose and albumin. Those with poorly controlled diabetes always had elevated levels of fructosamine.
- This finding adds to growing worldwide evidence that poor oral hygiene aggravates potentially fatal systemic disorders. Complications arising from untreated gum disease coupled with diabetes include cardiovascular problems, coronary artery disease and retinopathy.
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