Diabetes may increase risk of gum disease

People with diabetes are more prone to gum disease, due to the damage the chronic illness does to small blood vessels, a new study warns.

Diabetics who suffer from other diseases caused by small blood vessel damage -- diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy -- are also at higher risk for gum disease, researchers found.

People were 21% more likely to have moderate or severe gum disease if they had diabetic retinopathy, a disease that causes damage to the retina and can lead to blindness, results showed. They also were 36% more likely to have severe gum disease if they had diabetic neuropathy, a disease that affects the nerves.

People with both diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy had a 51% higher risk of moderate or severe gum disease, results showed.

Left untreated, gum disease can destroy the tissues that hold teeth in place, ultimately resulting in tooth loss, researchers explained.

"This tooth loss can affect essential functions like chewing and speaking, while also affecting self-esteem," said lead researcher Dr. Fernando Valentim Bitencourt , a dentist with Aarhus University in Denmark.

"As a result, periodontitis [gum disease] can significantly reduce a person's quality of life, leading to difficulties with nutrition, communication and social interactions," he added. "Understanding who is at higher risk, such as individuals with diabetes complications, is crucial for early intervention and prevention of these far-reaching effects."

For the study, researchers analyzed data on nearly 16,000 people with Type 2 diabetes taking part in a Danish health study.

The results showed a clear link between small blood vessel damage related to diabetes and moderate or severe cases of gum disease, researchers said.

"When diabetes is poorly controlled, high blood sugar levels can lead to inflammation which, over time, can affect the eyes, leading to retinopathy, or the nerves in the feet, causing neuropathy, or the gums, contributing to the development of severe periodontitis," Bitencourt said.

High cholesterol levels further increase the risk of severe gum disease, the researchers added.

The new study was published Tuesday in the Journal of Dental Research, and the findings were presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting in Madrid.

"Importantly, the role of inflammation means that periodontitis might not only serve as a marker for oral health issues but could also help identify individuals with a higher systemic inflammatory burden, who are therefore at greater risk of diabetes-associated microvascular complications," Bitencourt said in a meeting news release.

These results indicate that dentists need to pay close attention to the oral health of people with diabetes, he added.

"By working together, healthcare providers can help ensure that patients with Type 2 diabetes, especially those who are at an elevated risk of diabetes complications, receive more comprehensive oral health care -- potentially improving both their oral and overall health," he noted.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on gum disease .

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