Diabetes and oral health: an overview.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a common disease with concomitant oral manifestations that impact dental care. The purpose of this review is to summarize the prevalence, signs, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes, as well as dental treatment considerations for the patient with diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Safely managing the patient with diabetes requires effective communication among multiple health care providers. Dentists must be familiar with techniques to diagnose, treat and prevent stomatological disorders in patients with diabetes. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Dental practitioners will be treating more patients with diabetes in the future, and this article provides an overview of the systemic and oral aspects of the disease that impact dental treatment.