People with diabetes have three times more risk of periodontitis, so the health of the mouth and gums should be very taken into account by these patients as are periodic eye reviews or the care of the diabetic foot.
Experts from scientific societies of diabetes and periodontics, pharmacists and patients, who have presented the Oral Health Decalogue 'take care of the gums, controls diabetes from the pharmacy office' have notified this Tuesday.
The document indicates that patients who come to the pharmacy without a previous diagnosis of diabetes, but with obvious risk factors for type 2 diabetes and periodontitis signs -sang or redness of gums, bad breath, mobility or separation of teeth-,,They should be informed about their risk of having diabetes.
In addition, they have to be advised that they undergo an exhaustive oral exam, according to the decalogue in which the Spanish Periodontics Society (SEPA) and the Spanish Diabetes Society (SED) have participated.
The document pays special attention to risk groups such as children and adolescents with diabetes and pregnant women.
It recommends that minors with diabetes take an annual oral exam from 6-7 years and pregnant women are treated to avoid the usual periodontal diseases during the state of gestation.
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) points out that one in two cases of diabetes in adults is not diagnosed, "a figure that highlights the need for pharmacy professionals to have tools to detect, prevent and improve the diagnosis of diabetes", according to Spanish experts.
Also, with the new decalogue they want to show the pharmacy office as "an ideal place from which to perform early detection" and the patient's derivation towards the corresponding health professionals and associations.