Periodontal disease is a major health issue. Coincidentally, so is diabetes mellitus. Both of these disorders are reflexive in that they can create complications for each disease. Having a chronic infectious disease or inflammatory disorder like periodontitis can make glucose control difficult for diabetics. And the presence of diabetes makes a patient more likely to suffer periodontal disease; diabetes reduces the body's ability to properly regulate inflammatory responses and can delay or complicate healing.
It is rare that a patient comes to us being fully aware of a diagnosis for periodontal disease. WHen we diagnose the disease, we make sure we have discussed how influential diabetes can be in the process. If a patient has a family history of diabetes or cardiac disease, is overweight, has cardiovascular disease, hypertension, or all of the above, we are concerned that they do not suffer diabetes themselves.
Part of our dental examination may include a preliminary screening for blood glucose imbalance. A simple test can be done in our office to measure blood glucose and better inform the patient about a larger risk for diabetes. The test includes a tiny prick on the finger to acquire a drop of blood to place on a test strip that can be analyzed for blood glucose. If it is out of balance, we can then refer patients for proper diagnosis of blood glucose disorders like diabetes.
Performing this test in our office can not only help save a patients teeth, but it may lead to successfully managing undiagnosed diabetes. That alone can save lives.
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