Failing to brush teeth twice a day and floss once a day can not only contribute to the onset of type 2 diabetes, it can also make an existing diabetes condition worse, a fact very few Australians are aware of.
This is the key message in the Australian Dental Association’s submission to the Inquiry into Diabetes by the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport, currently underway.
The ADA is urging the Federal Government to educate those at risk about better looking after their mouths, as well as seeking to ensure healthcare professionals know about the link between oral and systemic disease. It is also mandating for clearer food and drink labelling.
The submission comes hot on the heels of the ADA’s nationwide annual campaign highlighting the intrinsic link between poor oral health and its serious knock-on effects on the rest of the body, including—in addition to diabetes—cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis and low birthweight and preterm babies.
“Type 2 diabetes and oral health have a bidirectional or two-way relationship,” ADA vice-president Dr Scott Davis said.
“So people with diabetes have high blood sugar levels which can lead to gum disease which when left untreated is now known to be one of the top complications of type 2.
“Gum disease, in turn, makes it difficult to control blood sugar levels and when left untreated, results in periodontitis which in addition to receding gums, means the bones supporting the teeth break down, and teeth can fall out, as well as contributing to these other serious long-term health issues.
“While the relationship between oral health and diabetes can be different for people with diabetes types 1 and 2, it’s important for people with diabetes to maintain good control of both their oral health and their diabetes management.”
Oral manifestations of type 2 diabetes such as a higher risk of dental decay, dry mouth from reduced saliva production, oral thrush and changes to sense of taste, should be monitored as important indicators for the management of this disease.
A major contributing factor to the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and tooth decay is our love of sugary drinks. Australia is one of the largest per capita consumers of sugary drinks in the world.
The ADA is urging the Federal Government to introduce a health levy on sugary drinks by increasing the price by 20 per cent and funding research into the link between oral and systemic diseases like diabetes. It also wants to see health campaigns with an oral health component to ensure they reach people with diabetes.
The dental body also wants to see an overhaul of the Health Star Rating System to enable consumers to make more informed choices when shopping, with clearer labelling mandatory for food and drink manufacturers.
