Progress noted on diabetes/oral health
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Posted Dec. 1, 2005 |
By Craig Palmer Atlanta—Nine states and the District of Columbia already meet the goal or "increased significantly" from 1999-2004 the proportion of adults with diabetes receiving dental care, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Nov. 25.
A national health objective for 2010 aims for 71 percent of persons with diabetes having an annual dental examination. The CDC estimated the percentage of dentate adults—one or more teeth—18 and older with diabetes who visited a dentist within the last 12 months by analyzing data from 1999 and 2004 state-based telephone surveys.
Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah and Wisconsin exceeded 71 percent. Arizona, Kansas, Minnesota, Ohio and Washington, D.C. made significant gains and North Carolina lost ground over the five-year period, said the report, Dental Visits Among Dentate Adults with Diabetes, published in the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report  .
"The findings underscore the need to increase awareness and support for oral health care among adults with diabetes, including support for national and state diabetes care management programs," the CDC said. The report called for increased partnering of health care organizations toward meeting the goal. The American Dental Association offers a number of online diabetes resources including a Diabetes Dental Topic page.
The national diabetes and oral health goals for 2010 are listed separately on the Healthy People 2010 Web site . Diabetes goal 5-15 calls for increasing the proportion of persons with diabetes who have at least an annual dental examination.
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