Diabetes screening in dental clinics could be a new frontline for early detection, study suggests.
HbA1c values — the standard diagnostic marker for diabetes — rose progressively with worsening gum disease, from periodontal health to gingivitis to periodontitis, according to a cross-sectional study published Feb. 13 in the Journal of Dentistry.
Researchers at King’s College London evaluated the usefulness of chairside HbA1c testing for diabetes screening in a dental setting. With global rates of diabetes and prediabetes climbing, the authors said early detection is critical to reducing complications and long-term health-care costs.
“Periodontitis showed a border-line association with higher levels of HbA1c after adjusted analysis,” the researchers wrote.
Related: Potassium levels in dental calculus may serve as indicator for diabetes
Related: Well-controlled diabetes protects teeth as much as not having the disease, large study finds
Diabetes early detection
One of the most striking findings: many patients were unaware of their glycaemic status.
“Around a third of patients seen in this secondary care dental setting were found to have HbA1c in the diabetes or pre-diabetes range while they were not aware about their diabetic status,” the authors wrote. “[This confirmed] that the dental visit could be an important opportunity for early detection of undiagnosed hyperglycaemia.”
Data and findings
Researchers analyzed 911 patients from the Oral, Dental and Craniofacial Biobank at King’s College London. Chairside HbA1c levels were compared with periodontal clinical data.
Of the 911 patients:
- 6.0% were periodontally healthy
- 11.3% had gingivitis
- 82.7% had periodontitis (Stage I–IV)
- 104 participants self-reported Type 2 diabetes
After excluding patients with self-reported diabetes:
- 227 (28.7%) were in the prediabetes range (HbA1c 5.7%–6.3%)
- 58 (7.3%) were in the diabetes range without knowing it
Mean HbA1c values increased with worsening periodontal status:
- Periodontal health: 5.43% ± 0.51
- Gingivitis: 5.51% ± 0.91
- Periodontitis: 5.76% ± 0.97
The upward trend was statistically significant (p = 0.004).
Last year, King’s College published its study on: Root canal treatments linked to better glucose control and lower systemic inflammation