Awareness on Oral Disorders in Diabetes Mellitus among General Population in Chennai

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the awareness on oral manifestation of diabetes in general population in Chennai. Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM), according to the World Health Organization is a silent epidemic which affects large number of people around the world and is directly related to the oral health status of the patients. DM is a metabolic disorder of multiple etiologies due to disturbances of carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism. It is characterized by chronic hyperglycemia, and it is associated with oral disorders, cardiovascular, and renal complications. These complications result in diminished quality of life and reduced life expectancy. Although dental caries was comparatively low in diabetics, periodontal status was compromised. Awareness on diabetes and increase risk of oral disorders in diabetic patient is comparatively less than awareness on systemic diseases in general population. Hence, this study was conducted to evaluate awareness and educate them by reinforcing the importance of oral health care in diabetes. Methodology: A total of 159 self‑completion questionnaires were distributed to assess the main objectives of the study. Results: The awareness of public toward increased risk for oral diseases in diabetes is low compared to their awareness of systemic diseases. On average, only 41.8% people is aware of an oral complication of DM, which is very low and 58.2% of population is unaware of a complication of DM. Conclusion: People were found to have little knowledge on oral manifestation of DM. To promote proper oral health and to reduce the risk of oral diseases, health professionals in both the dental and medical fields need to take the responsibility to develop programs to educate the public about the oral manifestations of diabetes and its complications on oral health.