Periodontal health may play an important role in the management of diabetes, according to a new consensus report from the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) and the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP).
The consensus report is based on scientific evidence that suggests periodontal health may be helpful in controlling diabetes. It outlines clinical recommendations for dental professionals to use when treating people with diabetes and emphasizes the importance of annual comprehensive periodontal evaluations as part of an effective diabetes management program.
"The relationship between periodontal disease and diabetes is a bit of a catch-22," said Stuart Froum, DDS, president of the AAP, in a press release. "People living with diabetes are more likely to develop periodontal disease. At the same time, periodontal disease makes it more difficult for people with diabetes to control their symptoms because it can impair the body's ability to process and/or utilize insulin."
The report was published as proceedings from the Joint EFP/AAP Workshop on Periodontitis and Systematic Diseases, and was sponsored through an educational grant from Colgate-Palmolive.
