A new study has affirmed that dental practices could play a crucial role in identifying undiagnosed diabetes and prediabetes in thousands of patients worldwide. Researchers found that a simple screening process conducted during routine dental visits could detect these conditions with high accuracy, potentially transforming early diabetes detection globally.
In the DiabetRisk study, published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, the researchers recruited 1,143 adult patients at 41 dental clinics across Spain. They demonstrated that combining a FINDRISC (FINnish Diabetes Risk Score) questionnaire and an HbA1c blood test was effective at identifying 96% of dental patients with undiagnosed diabetes or prediabetes. Commissioned by the Spanish Society of Periodontology (SEPA) Research Network of Dental Clinics and led by the ETEP Research Group at Complutense University of Madrid, the DiabetRisk study was sponsored by the multinational oral health care company, Sunstar. The results were released by SEPA, coinciding with a time when people with diabetes face an increased risk of complications from COVID-19 infections.
Among the 1,143 patients involved in the study, 97 patients—more than 8%—were found to have undiagnosed diabetes or prediabetes. Notably, the FINDRISC questionnaire alone, which assessed risk factors such as age, fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity, and family history of diabetes, detected undiagnosed hyperglycemia with an 87% accuracy rate.
In addition to the questionnaire, patients underwent a basic periodontal examination, which revealed that those with more severe cases of periodontal disease were more likely to have diabetes or prediabetes. When the FINDRISC questionnaire results were supplemented with an HbA1c test, which measures average blood glucose levels over the past 2 to 3 months, the diagnostic accuracy increased to 96%.
The DiabetRisk study also reinforced the connection between periodontal disease and diabetes. Patients with both conditions may be at an elevated risk of developing complications from diabetes earlier, as gum disease, an inflammatory condition, can exacerbate systemic inflammation and promote insulin resistance, further impairing blood sugar control.
The findings suggested that a simple and cost-effective screening protocol combining the FINDRISC questionnaire and an HbA1c test could be implemented in dental settings to help identify patients with early-stage diabetes or prediabetes. The estimated cost per patient for this screening protocol was approximately €10 (US $10.72). It is well-known that while many patients may not regularly visit their physicians, a large portion of the population regularly sees their dentist, presenting a unique opportunity for dental practices to serve as key partners in promoting overall health. Early detection, the study emphasized, is crucial in reducing the risk of cardiovascular issues and other complications associated with diabetes.
For more than three decades, Sunstar has been engaged in research into the bidirectional relationship between oral health and diabetes. The company’s founder, Kunio Kaneda, died from complications related to diabetes at the age of 59 years. As early as 1986, during the Sunstar Portside Symposium, his son, Hiroo Kaneda, first raised the possibility of a connection between periodontal disease and systemic diseases—laying the foundation for future recognition of the critical link between oral and general health, according to the company.
The DiabetRisk study’s findings emphasized the significant potential for dental professionals to assist in the early identification of diabetes, a step that could improve patient outcomes globally and support ongoing efforts to combat this growing public health challenge.
