Awareness of the effects of diabetes on gum health is low in men

PETALING JAYA: According to Dr. Sai Mala, a dental surgeon, Malaysians are unaware of the impact of diabetes on the health of your gums.

According to her, not only diabetics with diabetes have fewer gum diseases than their non-diabetic counterparts, but they also lose more teeth.

"Malaysians are not very aware of the impact of diabetes on the health of your gums.

"As a dentist for more than 30 years, I have seen a worrying trend regarding gum problems that require a variety of procedures. As we live longer with a life expectancy of up to 75 years, just like the rest of our body, our natural teeth are important for a happy, healthy and disease-free life, "she said.

In fact, a study conducted by the University of Malaysia has shown that men with diabetes in Malaysia and subjects receiving an association of insulin and oral antidiabetic drugs are more likely to receive advanced gum treatment.

The study then concluded that knowledge of the relationship between oral health and diabetes needed more attention given the increasing prevalence of diabetes in the country.

Periodontal disease, or gum disease, is three to four times higher in diabetics compared to the normal population according to global statistics and is recognized by experts as the sixth complication of diabetes.

According to a study by the Ministry of Health, nine out of ten Malaysians suffer from gum disease. According to a review of dental records of patients with periodontitis conducted in 2016, at least a quarter of these patients had diabetes and hypertension.

"It is essential that people take special care of their oral health if they have chronic diseases such as diabetes.

"As life expectancy increases slightly in Malaysia, you do not want to lose your teeth early in your age because of gum disease," added Dr. Mala.