Abstract: World Journal of Diabetes Research and Practice

Abstract:
People living with diabetes mellitus (DM) are at a 3-4 times higher risk of developing periodontal disease (PD) than non-diabetics; for smokers this risk is up to 10 times. However, many doctors are not aware of this. DM and PD are bidirectionally linked. Further research to determine the mechanism is required. PD has an adverse effect on glycaemic control. There is improvement when periodontitis is successfully treated. Doctors and dentists and their teams need to share results. A system of red, amber and green for both medical and dental risks is proposed, and a pro forma designed, so that diabetics themselves can take more control of their own health and share them with their professional advisors.