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Dental Intervention, Education, and Treatment Planning
Dental health professionals are likely to encounter many diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetic individuals. Persons with diabetes often require more emergency dental care and should have frequent routine dental visits to help control oral complications associated with diabetes. (38)
Familiarity with oral signs and symptoms of diabetes combined with a thorough health history can assist in the diagnosis and treatment of dental needs. The health history should be designed to obtain information indicative of diabetes.
During the oral assessment phase of the appointment, the dental health professional should be aware of oral conditions that may represent undiagnosed diabetes.
If there is a question about the presence of diabetes, the dentist should request a blood glucose test. Medical consultation with the patient's physician is also suggested. Oral symptoms of diabetes may be present prior to extraoral symptoms; therefore screening for diabetes should not be delayed. (45)
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Pathogenesis of Factors
