Identifying Diabetes in the Dental Office

A team of nursing and dental researchers are investigating the possibility of using gingival crevicular blood as an indicator of diabetes. The team will look at the levels of hemoglobin A1C, a measurement for blood glucose, within the gingival crevicular fluid of patients with periodontal diseases. The hemoglobin A1C test is currently used to determine how well people with diabetes are managing their blood glucose levels and in the diagnosis of diabetes and diabetes risk. This study will use a testing kit originally developed for dental professionals to use with finger stick blood samples. The kit has been revised to accommodate oral blood as well as finger stick samples. The year long study will include 120 subjects who will provide one finger stick sample and one blood sample from a periodontal pocket if oral bleeding is present. Researchers will examine the laboratory results of both the finger stick samples and oral blood samples to see if there is a link between A1C levels.

Did you know a simple dental screening can save your life?

Dentists are now performing early detection tests for heart disease and several other serious illnesses. Recent studies show that patients with periodontal disease run the risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary artery bleeds and have a more difficult time controlling their diabetes, For women who are pregnant, they have increased risks of pre-term births and low birth-weight babies.

The bottom line ..... your dentist could save your life with a simple finger prick! People see their dentist more often than their medical doctor, so their dentist plays a major role in the early detection of some of these serious conditions.

The most common warning sign of more than twenty serious illnesses is bleeding gums. Some of these conditions include; pre-diabetes, diabetes, cancer and heart disease.

If your gums bleed when you brush or floss your teeth, you need to ask us about this simple C-Reactive Protein test at your next dental visit.