A new study has revealed that people who live with diabetes are more vulnerable to dental decay and tooth loss; the research was released in Preventing Chronic Disease and it examined tooth-loss trends concerning 37,000 people over the age of 25 between the years 1971 and 2012. Over the forty year study, it was revealed that there were ‘substantial differences’ between adults without diabetes and those that were living with the condition.
In some areas of the study, there was twice as much tooth loss among diabetics, compared to non-diabetics.
Fortunately, the younger generation have shown better results, with less people in this population suffering tooth loss; researchers have suggested that this is related to better access to dental treatment and knowledge of good oral health, as well as improvements in dental hygiene and advances in technology.
Although it was not immediately obvious why people with diabetes would suffer more tooth loss than everyone else, scientists believe it may have something to do with gum disease, a problem which one in three diabetics suffer from. It is thought that high glucose levels in the blood and certain medications can contribute to the risks of developing gum disease.