Published in the Richmond Times Dispatch
Dear Editor –
You have published two thorough articles on Diabetes recently. In both you mentioned the kidneys and eyes as being first affected.
The parts of the body with the smallest blood vessels are affected the most. This means teeth are in the category with the eye. I have seen patients with multiple dental abscesses or infection that were unexplained. No decay or gum disease was apparent.
After sending the patient to a physician, the diagnosis of Diabetes was made. The small blood vessels that keep the tooth alive close off and the result is a dead tooth which eventually becomes infected. This same process causes damage to the eye and the kidney in the same way. The teeth are sometimes the first part of the body to see the ravages of diabetes.
Often a patient sees the dentist regularly but doesn’t see a physician regularly. This puts the dentist in the position to first diagnose this costly and serious disease. Their overall health gives patients another reason to see their dentist.
