Combination screening approach for diabetes in dental clinics

Dental practices may play a role in identifying undiagnosed diabetes and prediabetes.

In the DiabetRisk study published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, researchers examined the efficacy of detecting diabetes in 1,143 dental patients during a routine dental visit by combining the Finish Diabetes Risk Score questionnaire with an HbA1c blood test.

The researchers discovered that more than 8% of the patients had undiagnosed diabetes or prediabetes. The questionnaire alone — which assessed risk factors such as age, fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity and family history of diabetes — accurately detected 87% of cases of undiagnosed hyperglycemia. When combined with the HbA1c blood test, the diagnostic accuracy increased to 96%.

The simple, cost-effective screening method may be implemented in dental settings to help identify more patients with undiagnosed diabetes and prediabetes. The researchers hope their findings can reinforce the correlation between periodontal disease and diabetes.

Read more: Journal of Clinical Periodontology

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