Dentists Can Identify People With Undiagnosed Diabetes

I just read a really interesting article that I wanted to share. As dentists we know all about the connection between oral health and overall systemic health. With diabetes reaching near epidemic proportions it is important to get the word out! Once I am in practice this will definitely become part of my examination process. Most adults see their dentist much more frequently than they visit their general physician. With diseases like diabetes, it is important to catch it early, and if you can catch it in the pre-diabetes stage...even better!

"ScienceDaily (July 14, 2011) — In a study, Identification of unrecognized diabetes and pre-diabetes in a dental setting, published in the July 2011 issue of the Journal of Dental Research, researchers at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine found that dental visits represented a chance to intervene in the diabetes epidemic by identifying individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetes who are unaware of their condition. The study sought to develop and evaluate an identification protocol for high blood sugar levels in dental patients and was supported by a research grant from Colgate-Palmolive. The authors report no potential financial or other conflicts."

For the full article please visit this link:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110714191537.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher