Researchers used, the data of healthy participants with gum disease, from the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I), conducted in the early 1970s in the United States, to evaluate the linkage between gum disease and diabetes.
After adjusting their analyses for other diabetes risk factors, the researchers determined that those with intermediate and advanced periodontal disease at baseline were twice as likely to develop diabetes as healthy participants. Moreover, when considering tooth loss as a consequence of periodontal disease, they found that participants with advanced tooth loss had 70 percent greater odds of developing diabetes.
The results stress that maintaining oral hygiene and having regular professional examinations are an important part of a healthy life style.
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