Knowledge and attitudes towards periodontal health among Australians diagnosed with diabetes

Diabetes and periodontitis are two major diseases affecting the Australian population. Despite the established interrelationship between the diseases, the knowledge of people with diabetes about this interrelationship is limited. This study investigated the knowledge of individuals with diabetes towards periodontal health in Australia. Adults diagnosed with diabetes participated in a survey asking about demographics, medical history, symptoms in the oral cavity, oral hygiene, attendance at the dentist and their knowledge of the interactions between periodontal disease and diabetes. The survey was completed by 113 participants, most of whom thought their diabetes was well controlled. Over half reported bleeding on brushing and one-third reported swollen gums. More than half (53.6%) the respondents were unaware of any complications of diabetes associated with the oral cavity, especially periodontal disease. Most respondents did not talk to their dentist about diabetes (53.6%), yet most wanted to know more about the effects of diabetes on gum health (75.3%). These findings demonstrate that, in this survey, adult Australians diagnosed with diabetes have limited knowledge about how periodontal disease affects them. These individuals, who are at a higher risk of periodontal disease, need to be better informed of the established bidirectional relationship between diabetes and oral health by all health professionals.