Project Overview

Diabetes and gum disease have a bidirectional relationship; diabetes increases the risk of gum disease, negatively affecting blood glucose management, and increases the risk of diabetes complications. Severe gum disease can also have a profound impact on many aspects of daily living and quality of life. In addition to gum disease, other complications of diabetes include dry mouth, tooth decay, tooth loss, oral thrush and taste impairment. Evidence shows that treatment of gum disease can significantly improve glycaemic control among people with diabetes.

International and national guidelines acknowledge the importance of oral health care in diabetes and recommend that diabetes care providers undertake an oral health review of people with diabetes. However, research has revealed limited emphasis being placed on oral health by diabetes care providers in Australia (GPs and Diabetes Educators) with the main barriers being limited knowledge and training in this area. Further, people with diabetes have limited oral health knowledge and receive little oral health information from diabetes care providers. The findings highlight the need to improve the oral health competency/confidence of diabetes care providers to promote oral health.

As part of the DIOH program development the study team have piloted a simple 3 item screening that is sensitive (93%) to identify people with diabetes at risk of poor oral health. In addition, an evidence-based oral health promotional resource for patients with diabetes has been developed and endorsed by NSW Health, Australian Dental Association (NSW), consumer groups and Diabetes Australia (NSW and ACT) and made publicly available via Centre for Oral Health Strategy NSW.