Background: Periodontal Disease has been recognised as the 6th diabetes complication(1). Diseases affecting gums and teeth can lead to a deterioration in health status from adverse metabolic control and reduced quality of life. We have not regularly included oral health in our education programmes and hypothesised that dental review may have poor adherence amongst our patients.
Aim: Our study aim was to ascertain how many patients adhere to complication screening recommendations including dental assessment.
Methods: An anonymous self-report health questionnaire was designed and administered to patients in the Diabetes Centre waiting room. This contained general demographic questions, diabetes duration, complication screening attendance (including eye review, foot assessment, blood and urine testing) and dental screening including four validated quality of life questions relating to oral health(2).
Results: A total of 250 questionnaires were completed with 52.2% male and 64.7 % aged over 60 years. More than 50% had a diabetes duration >10 years. Over 90% were non-smokers and 59.8% of surveyed respondents were retired or not working. A total of 41.6% reported no quality of life impact from their oral health across all four questions addressed, however many reported significant issues. Complication assessment attendance and quality of life responses are shown in the Table. Attendance for dental assessment in the previous 2 years was 62.7%, notably less than for other screened complications. The largest group of respondents (34.5%) who did attend the dentist did so ‘only when required’, not regularly. Preventative dental screening is recommended at 6 monthly intervals and we found only 18.6% of respondents adhered to this schedule.

Conclusions: Under two-thirds of individuals had seen a dentist in the previous 2 years, confirming our initial hypothesis and highlighting the need to include oral health information in all our education programmes.

Acknowledgements: We kindly thank all the staff and patients of Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital Diabetes Centre for their assistance and support with this health questionnaire survey.