• Oluwamurewa Oguntimein, James Butler, Sharon Desmond, Kerry M Green, Xin He, and Alice M Horowitz.
• From the Department of Behavioral and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park (OO, JB, KMG, AMH); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park (XH).
• J Am Board Fam Med. 2020 Nov 1; 33 (6): 1004-1010.

IntroductionThere is a paucity of research on awareness, education, and interventions that address increased risk of developing periodontal disease, the sixth complication of diabetes. Examining the knowledge of patients with diabetes and understanding of the bidirectional relationship between periodontal disease and diabetes could inform future diabetes self-management care. We assessed the knowledge and understanding of the bidirectional relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease; examined gender, education, and income differences in this knowledge and understanding, as well as other differences in dental hygiene practices.MethodsA Web-based survey was conducted using a convenience sample of patients with diabetes.ResultsA total of 927 patients with diabetes participated in the study. Gender and education were significantly associated with knowledge and understanding of the bidirectional relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease in patients with diabetes. After controlling for diabetes duration, dental insurance status, and other covariates, males had less knowledge and understanding of the bidirectional relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease compared with females (P < .0001). Those with higher education (P < .002) and those who received health care provider recommendations to obtain regular dental visits (P < .00001) had greater understanding of the association between diabetes and periodontal disease.ConclusionsThis study highlights the need for 1) educating male and low-education patients with diabetes in particular about their increased risk of periodontal disease and the need for regular dental visits, and 2) health care providers and dental health providers to work together to address the needs of their diabetic patients.© Copyright 2020 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

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