(Press-News.org)
Gum disease is more common in individuals with microvascular complications of diabetes, new research being presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Madrid, Spain (9-13 September) and published in
The Journal of Dental Research has found.
Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the gums and the bones supporting the teeth. It is caused by the accumulation of bacterial plaque, and if left untreated, it can lead to the destruction of the tissues that hold the teeth in place, ultimately resulting in tooth loss.
“This tooth loss can affect essential functions like chewing and speaking, while also affecting self-esteem,” says researcher Dr Fernando Valentim Bitencourt, from the Department of Dentistry and Oral Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
“As a result, periodontitis can significantly reduce a person’s quality of life, leading to difficulties with nutrition, communication, and social interactions.
“Understanding who is at higher risk, such as individuals with diabetes complications, is crucial for early intervention and prevention of these far-reaching effects.”
Some studies have found that individuals with microvascular complications of diabetes such as retinopathy (damage to the blood vessels of the retina) and neuropathy (damage to the nerves) are at higher risk of periodontitis.
However, the results have been inconsistent and the studies have been small and have failed to take into account important confounding variables – factors such as sociodemographic status, smoking and diabetes duration – that can affect their outcome.
In addition, the joint impact of microvascular complications and dyslipidaemia (unhealthy levels of blood fats) has not been evaluated.
To address this, Dr Bitencourt and colleagues from Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus and National Dental Centre Singapore, analysed data on more than 15,000 individuals from the Health in Central Denmark study of people with type 2 diabetes.
The analysis involved 15,922 individuals (with a mean age of 63.7 years) with type 2 diabetes who had completed a questionnaire and a comprehensive laboratory examination.
The results, which were adjusted for potential confounding variables including sociodemographic status, lifestyle habits (including smoking and physical activity levels) and health conditions, found a clear link between microvascular complications and moderate/severe cases of periodontitis.
Individuals with diabetic retinopathy were 21% more likely to have moderate/severe periodontitis than those without complications of diabetes.
Diabetic neuropathy was associated with a 36% increase in risk of having severe gum disease. When the participants had both diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy, their likelihood of having moderate/severe periodontitis was 51% higher than in those without complications of diabetes.
The presence of dyslipidaemia further increased the odds of having moderate/severe periodontitis in those with diabetes complications.
Dr Bitencourt says: “When diabetes is poorly controlled high blood sugar levels can lead to inflammation which, over time, can affect the eyes, leading to retinopathy, or the nerves in the feet, causing neuropathy, or the gums, contributing to the development of severe periodontitis.
“Dyslipidaemia, which is very common, further increases the risk of severe gum disease.
“Importantly, the role of inflammation means that that periodontitis might not only serve as a marker for oral health issues but could also help identify individuals with a higher systemic inflammatory burden, who are therefore at greater risk of diabetes-associated microvascular complications.”
The researchers say that the take-home message for dentists and healthcare practitioners is clear: it is important to have a multidisciplinary approach when treating individuals with type 2 diabetes.
“For dentists, in particular, this means recognising that patients with type 2 diabetes and moderate/severe periodontitis, especially those with dyslipidaemia, may be at a higher risk for microvascular complications such as neuropathy and retinopathy,” says Dr Bitencourt. “Dentists should consider recommending that these patients be screened for microvascular complications.
“By working together, healthcare providers can help ensure that patients with type 2 diabetes, especially those who are at an elevated risk of diabetes complications, receive more comprehensive oral health care – potentially improving both their oral and overall health.”
END
The obesity medication liraglutide is safe and effective in children aged 6 to <12 years, new research being presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Madrid, Spain (9-13 September), and published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), has found.
Childen aged six to <12 years who took liraglutide for just over a year experienced a reduction in BMI of 7.4% compared to placebo and experienced improvements in blood pressure and blood sugar control.
The results of ...
Results from a clinical trial by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (ECOG-ACRIN) show a striking improvement for patients who received chemotherapy before surgery to remove advanced squamous cell-type cancer of the nose or sinus. The European Society of Medical Oncology is highlighting the trial at its ESMO Congress 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. Surgery is required for these patients but at a high physical cost. Patients enrolled in this trial had signs that surgery would result in loss of the eye, the base of the skull bone, or both. However, in the randomized prospective trial EA3163, patients receiving chemotherapy ...
As Rohit Velankar, now a senior at Fox Chapel Area High School, poured juice into a glass, he could feel that the rhythmic glug, glug, glug was flexing the walls of the carton.
Rohit pondered the sound, and wondered if a container’s elasticity influenced the way its fluid drained. He initially sought the answer to his question for his science fair project, but it spiraled into something more when he teamed up with his father, Sachin Velankar, a professor of chemical and petroleum engineering at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering.
They set up an experiment ...
The University of Texas at Arlington is expanding its research and innovation capabilities by building a $2.3 million, state-of-the-art outdoor netted drone facility. The Maverick Autonomous Vehicle Research Center (MAVRC) will be located at the UT Arlington Research Institute (UTARI) in Fort Worth, with a planned completion date of January 2025.
“MAVRC will significantly and positively impact UTA’s presence in the region by supporting the university-industry-government-community ecosystem focused ...
MADISON–Land was once set aside as Native American reservations because it was undesirable and low in resources, but now interested Native Americans may have economic leverage in the growing industry of clean energy. A team of researchers led by UW–Madison professors Dominic Parker and Sarah Johnston quantified the economic potential of wind and solar energy projects on these lands and discussed the regulatory barriers for tribes wishing to tap into it.
“This is the first comprehensive ...
Steven Wilhelm joins a distinguished roster this year with his election as a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) Academy of Science. This recognition is the RSC’s highest honor in areas of arts, social sciences, humanities, and science.
“The RSC inducts fellows to help them build a better future in Canada and the world. As a native Canadian, this honor is the pinnacle of what I could have hoped for in my career,” said Wilhelm, the Kenneth and Blaire Mossman Professor in UT’s Department of Microbiology. “It also provides an opportunity for me to work with my collaborators ...
WASHINGTON, D.C. [September 10, 2024] — The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) held an oncology policy summit today in Washington, D.C., focused on Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Cancer Workforce. The event featured a keynote address from Tiffany Wallace, PhD, Branch Director, Disparities Research Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI) Center for Cancer Health Equity. Panel discussions focused on how to establish and prioritize a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and maintain the commitment through a changing policy landscape. A series of ...
By Ann Kellett, Texas A&M University School of Public Health
The aging process can lead to diminished cognitive functioning for older adults. In addition, about 10 percent of people previously diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment develop Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia every year.
Although a few studies have found that activities such as putting together jigsaw puzzles can protect against cognitive aging, the benefits of these activities in preventing or postponing cognitive ...
Researchers at Université de Montréal’s affiliated hospital research centre, the CRCHUM, say the discovery could help lessen and even eliminate viral loads in people undergoing antiretroviral therapy.
Metformin, a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes, could help deplete the viral reservoir and eliminate it entirely in people living with HIV who receive antiretroviral therapy, Canadian researchers say in a new study.
In 2021, a team led by immunologist Petronela Ancuta of Université de Montréal’s affiliated hospital research centre, ...
Dr. Berna Hascakir, professor in the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering at Texas A&M University, was selected as part of a $17 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management. The investment will support university-led projects that advance decarbonization and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
In partnership with Texas A&M, Texas Tech University, Howard University, and the University at Buffalo, this initiative unites three minority-serving ...
