Oral health in patients with diabetes - a component of comprehensive medical assessment

Periodontal disease and diabetes mellitus are complex pathologies with an increased prevalence in the general population. Poorly controlled diabetes mellitus is associated with an increased prevalence and severity of periodontitis, and severe periodontitis is associated with compromised glycemic control. A search was performed for articles published in English in the PubMed database between January 2000 and March 2024 that aimed to investigate the interrelationship between diabetes and periodontal disease. Diabetes mellitus and periodontal disease are a public health problem, driven by their increased prevalence and chronic complications affecting quality of life. Periodontitis, changes in salivary flow, and fungal infections are just a number of pathologies with a higher prevalence in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The interrelationship between periodontitis and diabetes mellitus has been shown to be bidirectional, so that periodontitis hinders the achieve Periodontal disease and diabetes mellitus are complex pathologies with an increased prevalence in the general population. Poorly controlled diabetes mellitus is associated with an increased prevalence and severity of periodontitis, and severe periodontitis is associated with compromised glycemic control. A search was performed for articles published in English in the PubMed database between January 2000 and March 2024 that aimed to investigate the interrelationship between diabetes and periodontal disease. Diabetes mellitus and periodontal disease are a public health problem, driven by their increased prevalence and chronic complications affecting quality of life. Periodontitis, changes in salivary flow, and fungal infections are just a number of pathologies with a higher prevalence in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The interrelationship between periodontitis and diabetes mellitus has been shown to be bidirectional, so that periodontitis hinders the achievement of therapeutic goals and its presence may increase the risk of developing diabetes, while diabetes mellitus may also contribute to the development of periodontitis. However, the knowledge of medical practitioners about the importance of oral health in people with diabetes, as well as the knowledge of dentists about the importance of diabetes for oral health, is limited. The multidisciplinary approach to a person with type 2 diabetes mellitus requires the formation of interdisciplinary teams, in which the dentist should certainly be included.