Diabetes and oral health promotion: a survey of disease prevention behaviors.
BACKGROUND
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease known to affect oral disease progression. The authors surveyed health behaviors essential for preventing dental and periodontal diseases and maintaining oral health is a population of adult patients with type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes. The goals of this study were to assess these patients' oral health behaviors, access to dental care and need for improved health education.


METHODS
As part of a dental and periodontal examination, 406 subjects with type 1 diabetes completed a questionnaire regarding their oral health attitudes, behaviors and knowledge. The authors also evaluated 203 age-matched nondiabetic control subjects.


RESULTS
The authors found that diabetic subjects' tobacco use and oral hygiene behaviors were similar to those of the nondiabetic control subjects. Diabetic subjects, however, more frequently reported the cost of dental care as a reason for avoiding routine visits. Most of these subjects were unaware of the oral health complications of their disease and the need for proper preventive care.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with diabetes appear to lack important knowledge about the oral health complications of their disease. The results of this survey did not indicate improved prevention behaviors among the subjects with diabetes compared with nondiabetic control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Dentists have an opportunity and the responsibility to promote good oral health behaviors such as regular dental examinations, proper oral hygiene and smoking cessation that may significantly affect the oral health of their diabetic patients.
Moore
P A
PA
Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, USA.
Orchard
T
T
Guggenheimer
J
J
Weyant
R J
RJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006267:Health Education, Dental; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology