Nearly 20 million people in the US – 7% of the population – have diabetes, 200 million world wide, and experts predict that this number will double or triple over the next two decades. In addition, 54 million Americans have pre-diabetes, a condition in which blood glucose levels are not quite high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Only two-thirds of diabetics are aware of their condition. Diabetes causes about 40 thousand fatalities annually. In some cases, a dentist is the first healthcare provider to bring up the possibility that a patient has diabetes because gum disease, burning mouth syndrome, dry mouth, and increased tooth decay may be signs of the condition.
Most likely, some of your current patients are diabetics. If a patient has taken insulin, it is imperative that you know about it before beginning dental work. According to a report at DentalCare.com, patients with diabetes should be cared for with local anesthetic if possible because general anesthesia can cause hyperglycemia.
SOURCES:
Dental Care http://www.dentalcare.com/soap/intermed/diabpg.htm
American Diabetes Association http://www.diabetes.org/about-diabetes.jsp
Science Daily http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080312125557.htm
EurekAlert! http://eurekalert.org