Gum Problems are Three Times More Common in Diabetic Patients

According to a study conducted in Korea, brushing teeth 3 times a day protects against diabetes by 8 percent. Internal Medicine and Endocrinology Specialist stated: “Gum problems are seen in 15 percent of the society. In diabetic patients, this rate is 3 times higher.

The relationship between diabetes and dental health was revealed by studies. Research has come from Korea that preserving oral and dental health protects against diabetes. The study, which included 188,000 people, showed that brushing three times a day protected against diabetes by 8 percent. Sharing the details of the study, Yeditepe University Hospitals Internal Medicine and Endocrinology Specialist: “Dental problems seen in the person increase the risk of diabetes by 9 percent.”

Dental Problem Creates Inflammation in the Body

Stating that according to the study, people with gum problems were followed for 10 years. “It was observed that 16 percent of them developed diabetes. That is twice the rate in Korea. Any dental problem creates some kind of inflammatory reaction in the body. This leads to insulin resistance in the body. This resulting insulin resistance is also the main factor that causes blood sugar control and predisposition to diabetes.”

“Blood Sugar Control is Getting Harder”

Stating that 15 percent of the population has gum problems, our expert explained the relationship between diabetes and gum diseases: "When we look at individuals with diabetes, it is observed that this rate is three times higher than theirs. In other words, gum problems are more common in people with diabetes. Another important point is that if people with diabetes also have gum problems, blood sugar control becomes difficult. Hence, we encounter health problems caused by diabetes more frequently. Complications of diabetes are twice as common. Some studies even show that the risk of death from heart attack is three times higher in people with diabetes and gum problems.”

Brushing 3 Times a Day Reduces Your Risk By 14%

Explaining that the treatment of gum problems in people with diabetes also provides blood sugar control, our specialist remarked: “Therefore, giving importance to dental health reduces the risk of developing diabetes in the person. When you evaluate individuals under the age of 50 and above, we see that brushing twice a day under the age of 50 reduces the risk of diabetes by 10 percent. Brushing 3 times a day also reduces it by 14 percent. In order to prevent diabetes, it is important to give importance to oral health and brush your teeth 3 times a day.”

Pay Attention to Oral Hygiene

Yeditepe University Hospital Internal Medicine and Endocrinology Specialist underlined the need to give importance to oral and dental health in order to protect from the coronavirus epidemic that has affected the world and Turkey. Therefore, attaching importance to oral hygiene prevents the coronavirus from clinging to the mucosa in the mouth. In this sense, we will also control the transmission of the disease.”

This content was prepared by Yeditepe University Hospitals Medical Editorial Board.

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