Standard treatment for moderately inflamed gums around the teeth - periodontitis - can help people with diabetes keep their blood sugar levels under control, Spanish and Portuguese researchers report.


Diabetic patients have a higher risk of developing periodontal disease than do non-diabetics, "so control of diet, exercise and inflammation in periodontitis is essential," says Dr. Antonio Bascones.


Bascones, at Complutense University, Madrid and colleagues note in the Journal of Periodontology that since the 1960s there have been studies suggesting that periodontal disease worsens blood sugar control in diabetics.


To investigate further, the researchers studied ten patients with type 2 diabetes and ten people without diabetes. All had a diagnosis of moderate generalized chronic periodontitis.


The patients underwent conventional periodontal root scaling and root planing, and after a few months all showed significant improvement gum bleeding, amount of plaque on teeth, the degree of looseness of teeth.


Furthermore, the team found, the group with diabetes had a significant improvement in glucose control, as indicated by a drop from 7.2 to 5.7 in glycosylate hemoglobin levels, commonly called the A1c measurement.


The investigators call for further studies but suggest that

"there is a two-way relationship between diabetes mellitus and periodontitis, with the former producing a greater severity of periodontal disease and the latter compromising blood glucose control."

The findings, Bascones added, are "in a small sample of patients but it is the first step in the fight against this disease."


Source: Journal of Peridontology

When my family found out that my little sister was a Type 1 diabetic, I made the comment that I knew I couldn't handle it. I hate needles, always have. My mother told me when I was in preschool and had to get a shot for school, it took four adults to hold me down. Yes, I hate needles.


Six years ago, I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I told the doctor he had to be wrong. Unfortunately, he wasn't. I was horrified! I had to start giving myself shots? Everyday? I sat down to take my first one and I swear I was trying for at least 30 minutes. Even now, I still have to slowly inject myself because I can't just stab the needle in like nurses do.


But here is hope for those of us who have struggled with needles. The FDA approved a new inhalable insulin manufactured by Pfizer called Exubera in January. This new system is a powered form of rDNA (recombinant human insulin) delivered to the lungs by an inhaler.


From what I have read, this new drug will be more beneficial to Type 2 diabetics than Type 1 diabetics. Children, smokers and those with lung disease will not be able to use Exubera because no one is completely sure what the long term effects will be to the lungs.


I'm am thrilled that there is another option to pills and shots. When Pfizer starts launching midsummer, I plan on talking to my doctor to see if I can start using it to treat my diabetes.