Diabetes mellitus and the dental patient

With the increasing number of diagnosed diabetics in the general population, dental health care providers can anticipate a greater number of diabetics in their practices. Familiarity with the systemic and oral signs and symptoms of DM may facilitate its diagnosis, and contribute to the quality of the individual's overall health. It is also important to be aware of the medications used to manage DM and the effect the disease and its treatment may have on dental treatment and scheduling of appointments. The dental provider may also be confronted with emergency management of the diabetic, with the most common condition being hypoglycemia. This paper has also reviewed the clinical signs and symptoms of this state and approaches to management.