A study published earlier this month by Diabetologia tested a possible link between oral hygiene and new-onset diabetes.

In an attempt to determine if there is a relationship between periodontal (gum) disease and the rate of new-onset diabetes, Yoonkyung Chang, Ph.D., and researches at the Ewha Woman’s University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, analyzed a series of data collected by the National Health Insurance System-Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS). This data which was collected from 2003 to 2006, across more than 188,000 subjects, found a positive link between oral care and new-onset diabetes.

Of the included subjects, 17.5% had periodontal disease. After a median follow-up of 10.0 years, diabetes developed in 31,545 (event rate: 16.1%, 95% CI 15.9%, 16.3%) subjects.

The correlation between periodontal disease and new-onset diabetes remained positively associated even after adjusting the data for demographics and lifestyle choices such as regular exercise, alcohol consumption, and vascular risk factors, among others.

The good news is that the study did find that regular tooth brushing (3x a day) had a negative association with new-onset diabetes.

To read more about this study, click here.

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