Oral Health Knowledge, Risk of Periodontitis, and Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Among People With Type 2 Diabetes

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to examine the association between the level of oral health knowledge (OHK), the risk of periodontitis, and diabetes management self-efficacy (DMSE) among individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).MethodsA cross-sectional survey of 93 adults with T2DM in central Texas was used to examine OHK levels with descriptive analyses; 5 hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to explore the impact of OHK and periodontitis risk on DMSE.ResultsParticipants' mean age was 59.60 ± 12.76 years, 54.8% were female, and 54.8% were White. Their average duration of having diabetes was 12.17 ± 11.27 years, and 77.4% took oral medications. Their average A1C was 6.75 ± 1.56; nearly half (47.3%) had more than 1 comorbidity. The risk of periodontitis was high, and the level of OHK was low. On average, 65% of the OHK questions were answered correctly; the 2 questions with the lowest rates of being answered correctly were related to dry mouth risks. Forty-two percent of participants were at risk of periodontitis. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that only the risk of periodontitis significantly predicted DMSE in managing diet, DMSE in managing exercise and weight, and overall DMSE after controlling for age, gender, number of comorbidities, duration of diabetes, and treatment types.ConclusionsHealth care providers should proactively assess OHK and periodontitis risk, especially when patients indicate low efficacy concerning diet and body weight management.