Oral Health-related Knowledge and Assessment of Oral Health Status of Diabetic Patients Attending Dental Clinic at College of Dentistry, Hail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Aim:This study was aimed to evaluate the oral health status and knowledge of diabetic and nondiabetic patients attending dental clinic at College of Dentistry, Hail, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Materials and methods: It was an observational cross-sectional study. Using nonprobability convenient sampling technique, data were collected from 202 respondents. A total of 202 diabetic and nondiabetic patients were screened for the study. Data were collected by interview using the structured, self-administered questionnaire, and assessment of oral health status was done by clinical examination. The collected data were analyzed using IBM SPSS software. The data were displayed as numbers and percentages and association among the variable of interests was measured using Pearson Chi-square. Results: Of the 202 patients, 102 (50.6%) were males and 100 (49.4%) were females. Majority of the patients, 71 (35.2%) were in the age-group of 30-40 years. In all, 128 (63.4%) participants knew the effect of diabetes mellitus (DM) on oral health, 167 (82.7%) knew that diabetic patients needed special healthcare, 152 (75.25%) had never spoken to their doctors about oral health, and 164 (81.19%) had never spoken to their dentists regarding diabetes. Conclusion: The complications associated with oral health are more common in diabetic patients when compared to the nondiabetic patients. This is the case in both male and female patients visiting the College of Dentistry in the Hail region. Clinical significance: Diabetes mellitus is associated with increased susceptibility to oral infections especially periodontal disease. Role of a general dentist in diagnosis and raising patient awareness toward DM and its effects on oral health need to be emphasized.

Awareness of Oral Health in Diabetic Patients in Saudi Arabia

“…One study from Madinah assessing the prevalence of dental caries in young women found that diabetic females were more likely to have carious lesions (21). Similarly, a study from Hail noted that prevalence rates of plaque were higher in DM patients than those without DM (16). Yet another study conducted at a hospital's diabetes unit in Riyadh showed a positive correlation between DM and periodontal health via reporting of plaque index which concluded that Saudi patients with chronic, uncontrolled blood sugar levels were more likely to have higher amount of calculus deposits and higher susceptibility of periodontitis (22).…”

“…The study conducted in Hail in a cohort of dental patients at a university hospital clinic showed that the majority of the patients has general awareness of the dental problems associated with DM (16). But the bulk of these participants had failed to convey to the attending dental practitioner their diabetes status thereby showing a lack of awareness regarding the importance of reporting their diabetes history to the dental professionals for effective management of their condition.…”

“…Susceptibility to xerostomia is also greater in diabetics due to multifactorial etiology including reduced salivation, candida overgrowth, and heightened colonization by pathogens (15). The International Diabetes Federation recommends that general practitioners should evaluate diabetic patients for a regimen of advised dental self-care practices and initial presentations of oro-dental health conditions, and also recommend measures to enhance self-care including dentist referrals were deemed necessary (16). Conversely, in case of some individuals, dental treatment may be the only contact with the healthcare system, which further emphasizes the necessity of incorporating DM risk assessment for the overall wellbeing of the individual and community.…”

Oral Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of People Living with Diabetes in South Asia: A Scoping Review

“…In tandem with the low levels of oral health advice and information received, some studies identified that participants were receptive to receiving more oral health promotion information from health care providers, primarily doctors and dentists. In a Saudi Arabian study, Mian et al [ 63 ] similarly found that up to 81% of people who had diabetes had never spoken to their doctor or dentist about oral health. An Australian survey also identified that 90% of people with diabetes did not receive oral health information [ 61 ] suggesting that the role of oral health promotion among non-dental care providers appears to be limited in other regions as well.…”

Statistical Significance was observed for the Responses between the Participants about Knowledge, Attitude and Practice toward the Effect of Diabetes on Oral Health among adults living with diabetes in Makkah City

“…Data was collected by an interviewer-administered (face to face interview) questionnaire. The questionnaire was composed of close-ended questions that were derived from two relevant previous studies in the same area [20,21]. The study tool adopted a simplified and modified English version questionnaire to accommodate the aim of this study.…”