Diabetes and periodontitis are a dangerous duo!

Scientific evidence shows a close interaction between oral health and general health. Thus a Parodontitis can favor or strengthen among other things a diabetes illness.

Conversely, diabetics are three times as likely to develop periodontitis as people without diabetes. Topically important to know: Diabetes mellitus poses an increased risk for severe progression of Covid-19 disease.

Because of the direct relationship between periodontitis and diabetes, oral health also has a relationship to the risks of Covid-19.

“On the occasion of this year’s World Diabetes Day, we would like to draw attention to the fact that diabetes and periodontitis reinforce each other“, explains Dirk Kropp, managing director of the Initiative proDente e.V..

“Chronic inflammation throughout the body also increases the risk that a corona infection will be severe.“Diabetics should therefore keep a close eye on their oral health, in addition to good diabetes mellitus control and many other factors.

This is how prevention or. Treatment of periodontitis should be an integral part of diabetes management. Diabetes patients can use the test of the German Society of Periodontology (DG PARO) to check whether their gums are healthy or whether they are at risk of periodontitis.

Conversely, every patient with periodontitis should be alert for symptoms of diabetes and, if necessary, consult their family doctor. If this is present, its treatment is necessary.

Diabetes increases risk of periodontitis

More than seven percent of adults in Germany are diabetic. The latter are three times more likely to develop periodontitis than non-diabetics. In poorly controlled diabetics, the elevated blood glucose level promotes inflammation.

Thus, periodontitis can develop more easily, be more severe and progress more quickly. Ultimately, diabetics lose more teeth to periodontal disease than people without diabetes.

Circulatory disorders can also lead to poorer immune defense and wound healing in patients with diabetes, so that periodontal therapy does not work as well.

If, on the other hand, blood glucose levels are well controlled, the risk of periodontitis in diabetics is reduced to that of non-diabetics.

Periodontitis worsens blood sugar control

Conversely, untreated periodontitis can promote insulin resistance in diabetes mellitus. If the bacteria from the gum pockets get into the entire body – this happens regularly in untreated cases of severe periodontitis – they can cause inflammation there as well.

This blocks the insulin receptors. Sugar from the blood can no longer be absorbed so well into the tissue. This makes blood glucose control more difficult. The high blood sugar levels damage the blood vessels that supply the organs. The risk of secondary diseases increases.

Inflammations favor heavy course with Covid-19

A healthy oral cavity is a prerequisite for a healthy body. This also applies to diseases with Covid-19. Especially in the early, asymptomatic phase of an infection, the viral load in the patient’s mouth and nose is very high.

Inadequate oral hygiene and existing, untreated periodontitis could therefore be risk factors for a severe course of the disease, even with corona.

Especially when periodontitis and diabetes are present at the same time, the risk for a severe course of COVID-19 disease is increased because chronic inflammation is present throughout the body.

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Dentists, dental technicians and manufacturers have been involved in the proDente e initiative since 1998. V.