Periodontitis Treatment May Lower Glucose Levels in Type 2 Diabetes

Periodontitis Treatment May Lower Glucose Levels in Type 2 Diabetes

Researchers in Scotland report that routine dental treatment can reduce blood glucose levels in people who have both type 2 diabetes and preexisting periodontal diseases. After combining data for 244 patients, the authors concluded that treating gum disease could have small but beneficial implications for people who have type 2 diabetes. The results were gathered by analyzing studies of people ages 16 and older who had either type 1 or type 2 diabetes and periodontitis.

“It would be wise to advise these patients of the relationship between treating periodontal disease and the possibility of lowering their blood sugar levels,” notes Terry Simpson, lead author of the study and an honorary research fellow at the Edinburgh Dental Institute in Scotland. “Additionally, an oral health assessment should be recommended as part of their routine diabetes management,” Simpson says.

There was not enough available evidence to support similar benefits for people who have type 1 diabetes, according to a summary appearing in the Health Behavior News Service.

The review appears in the latest issue of The Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical research. Systematic reviews such as this one draw evidence-based conclusions about medical practice after considering both the content and quality of existing medical trials on a topic.

The reviewers caution that the possible benefits come from only three small studies. Larger, randomized trials are necessary to further study periodontal treatment and outcomes.

“Diabetes is on the rise and we are seeing more people with perio problems. Most periodontists are aware of the relationship between diabetes and perio disease,” says Sally Cram, DDS, a consumer advisor for the American Dental Association and a periodontist practicing in Washington, D.C. “Some physicians are aware of the association, but they don’t always explain it to the patient. However, I am seeing more referrals from physicians who tell patients to see a periodontist and get their gum health under control.”

If blood glucose levels are too high, patients with diabetes might face complications. If these levels are high routinely, that person could be at risk for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and other health problems.

“Treatment can reduce the amount of bacteria and inflamed tissue in the gums,” Simpson says. “The presence of bacteria and inflamed tissue is thought to produce chemical changes which affect the action of insulin and, in turn, raises the circulating levels of sugar in the blood stream. By resolving this with periodontal treatment, the patient might experience a lower blood sugar level over time.”