Increased Death Among Toothless Diabetics

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Dental News
According to the journal Diabetologia, a recent study revealed that people with diabetes who have lost all of their teeth have a 50% greater risk of death than similar-aged diabetics who have most of their teeth. The study was conducted by researchers at The George Institute for International Health (Sydney, Australia) using data from almost 11,000 people, ages 55 to 88 who have type 2 diabetes.

People's teeth were counted at the start of the study. They also answered questions about how often their gums bled. Researchers kept track of the people for 5 years and recorded deaths and the causes of death. Bleeding gums were not linked with an increased risk of death. But compared with people who had at least 22 teeth, diabetics with no teeth had greater risks of:

* Death from all causes combined (48% higher)
* Death from heart and blood vessel disease (35% higher)
* Death from causes other than heart/blood vessel disease (64% higher)

Diabetics are already more than twice as likely to have heart problems as those without diabetes. This risk is even higher if blood-sugar levels are not well controlled.

Severe periodontal disease can cause tooth loss. There are other causes, however, including tooth decay and injury. The people in this study were not asked why they were missing teeth.

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Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease & Oral Health ( Dec 11, 2009 )