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Item #13

Diagnosing Diabetes in the Dentists Office

Certain symptoms of undiagnosed diabetes show up in the mouth, dry mouth, gum disease and recurring mouth sores.

The first indication can be a pesky mouth sore that will not go away, or an unusual oral dryness. Diabetes, which frequently shows signs in a person's mouth, is something that your dentist wants you to be aware of. The Nova Scotia Dental Association is making efforts to educate the public that diabetes can be diagnosed and treated early and that changes in oral health should be brought to the attention of your family dentist.

"Certain symptoms of undiagnosed diabetes show up in the mouth," said Dr. Paul Downing, president of the Nova Scotia Dental Association. "Anything that's out of the ordinary can be a cause for concern." Xerostomia, or 'dry mouth' as it is often called, is an early diabetes symptom. People with diabetes are also more likely to contract gum disease and often have recurring mouth sores. "Early diagnosis and good diabetes control are key to preventing or delaying the onset of diabetes complications," said Sandra Backman, Executive Director, Atlantic area Canadian Diabetes Association.

To help educate patients about the warning signs of diabetes, the Nova Scotia Dental Association and the Canadian Diabetes Association (Nova Scotia region) have teamed up to produce a poster and to distribute pamphlets for dental offices. And for those Nova Scotians who've been diagnosed with diabetes, the dental association and the Dalhousie University Faculty of Dentistry are organizing a Diabetes Oral Consultation Clinic where people with diabetes can book an appointment to discuss the oral implications of the disease with a dentist.

Some of the oral effects of diabetes can go unnoticed by the patient, thereby making routine examinations by a dentist important for early detection.   Dentists need to be made more aware of the signs and symptoms of diabetes.  Undiagnosed patients are probably seeing their dentist more often then their doctor.

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FACT:

The annual cost of the condition, which affects an estimated 17 million Americans, climbed from $98 billion in 1997 to $132 billion in 2002, according to report by the American Diabetes Association.  See Cost of Diabetes

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