This entry was posted on 8/29/2007 6:03 PM and is filed under ARTICLES.
According to a study published in the March 2007 issue of the Journal of Periodontology, periodontal disease may contribute to the progression of pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but are not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association estimates that 54 million people in the United States have pre-diabetes, and a significant portion of those people will develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years. Researchers investigated whether having periodontal disease can influence pre-diabetes and contribute to the progression of diabetes. They found that having periodontal disease can cause someone to develop pre-diabetic characteristics, and probably disturb the glucose regulation of a non-diabetic who has pre-diabetic characteristics, contributing to the progression of type 2 diabetes.
“We have known that people with diabetes are more susceptible to periodontal disease and have more severe disease,” said Dr. Preston D. Miller Jr., president of the American Academy of Periodontology. “This breakthrough research shows having periodontal disease may aggravate pre-diabetes, which is a precursor for diabetes. These findings underscore the importance of taking good care of your teeth and gums: it may be a simple way to prevent diabetes, or to prevent the progression of diabetes.”
