Media Release
Regular Dentist Visits Warn Pre-Diabetics, Help Reduce Time Lost at Work
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – March 4, 2009 – Nearly 21 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes1. It’s no wonder that this disease has been termed our country’s biggest epidemic. Of even greater concern is that nearly three times that number – an estimated 57 million people have a condition called prediabetes1, and a significant proportion of these people will develop Type 2 diabetes within 10 years2.
The good news is that regular visits to the dentist’s office can help dental plan enrollees get an early warning that they should be on the alert for diabetes. Individuals with dental benefits are more likely to visit the dentist than those without3.
People with diabetes are more susceptible to gum disease. Recent studies have revealed that periodontal disease can actually influence prediabetes and contribute to the progression of diabetes.
While research affirms the importance of taking good care of teeth and gums, it also underscores the role that oral health care providers can have in early detection of serious systemic diseases.
Preventing dental problems before they become more serious will result in less time lost at work. Employed adults lose more than 164 million hours of work each year due to dental disease or dental visits4.
Plan enrollees who see a dentist regularly, will be more likely to discover potential systemic diseases and save time and money spent on treatment and additional dentist visits.
Following are reasons for enrollees to keep regular checkups on their calendar, even if they take good care of their teeth.
- Dental professionals can use today’s dental exams to screen for oral cancers and other health issues that can be difficult to spot. More than 120 diseases5 can cause specific signs and symptoms in and around the mouth and jaw. Dental professionals performing checkups can spot symptoms that could indicate serious health problems elsewhere in the body that need attention.
- Checkups allow dentists to keep up with changes to enrollees’ health status. Upon learning of their developed medical conditions, a dentist can recommend strategies to help proactively counter the negative effects the conditions and treatments would otherwise have on their oral health.
- Preventive checkups provide dentists with opportunities to identify and intervene early in dental diseases. This can reduce any pain and the financial costs associated with more severe forms of dental diseases. If caught early, periodontal disease is easier to manage and, in some cases, reverse.
1American Diabetes Association
2Journal of Periodontology, March 2007
3The Long Group, 2008
4Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health in America, 2000
5Steven L. Bricker, Robert P. Langlais, and Craig S. Miller, Oral Diagnosis, Oral Medicine and Treatment Planning (Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 1994)
About Delta Dental of Oklahoma
Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Delta Dental of Oklahoma is the oldest, largest and leading provider of dental benefits in the state. A not-for-profit corporation, Delta Dental services more than 650,000 eligible members and nearly 3,000 clients and customers – from individuals and small businesses to Fortune 500 corporations located throughout Oklahoma and nationwide. Through its charitable foundation, Delta Dental of Oklahoma has contributed nearly $2 million to help provide greater access to oral healthcare and education to all citizens of Oklahoma.
For More Information
Thomas J. Searls | Director of Corporate Communications | 405-607-2100 ext. 178
– or – 800-522-0188 ext. 178
