A University of Michigan study has found that regular, nonsurgical periodontal services can lower medical costs for people with diabetes, according to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
The study, funded by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, looked at five years of claims data from 2,674 Blue Care Network members with diabetes.
Overall medical and pharmacy costs can be lowered by more than 10% annually, while diabetes related costs can be lowered by as much as 19% in these patients, the study found.
"Working with the Michigan Blues, we found insured adults with diabetes in Michigan who receive routine periodontal treatment such as dental cleanings and scaling have significantly lower medical care costs than those who do not," said George Taylor, D.M.D., the study's principal investigator and associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. "The results of our analyses provide additional evidence supporting a beneficial role for periodontal treatment in improving overall health in people with diabetes and in lowering overall costs."
