Are fewer than 20 teeth easy to cause diabetes?

The health department of Wuhan released the report of “oral health survey of middle-aged and elderly people in Wuhan”, which shows that caries, tooth loss and periodontal diseases are the main diseases threatening the oral health of middle-aged and elderly people.

Last year, Wuhan Health Bureau and Hubei stomatological hospital jointly carried out this survey. The survey shows that the average number of teeth in the mouth of the elderly is only 18. The periodontal health rate, dental caries rate and gingival bleeding rate of middle-aged people aged 35-44 were 1.1%, 47% and 71% respectively. The periodontal health rate, dental caries rate and gingival bleeding rate of the elderly aged 65-74 were 0.1%, 77.2% and 59.8% respectively.

Compared with 1995, the caries rate of middle-aged and old people in Wuhan has increased by about 20%. Compared with the national average, the detection rate of gingival bleeding, dental calculus and periodontal pocket (a kind of periodontal disease) of the middle-aged and old people are all higher than the national average, and the periodontal health rate is much lower than the national average (more than 14%).

The investigation report shows that the main reasons for these situations are lack of oral health knowledge, weak self-awareness of oral health care, and insufficient good oral health habits.

Zhu Chaoyang, an expert from the Institute of chronic disease prevention of the Wuhan CDC, said that people with fewer than 20 teeth can’t have a normal diet, and food can’t be chewed fully, which will affect the digestive function of the human body. At the same time, dental diseases can also cause coronary heart disease, diabetes and other cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The middle-aged and old people must pay attention to prevention.

He suggested that you brush your teeth at least twice a day, rinse your mouth with water after meals, and often clean your mouth with physiological saline. If you have missing teeth, you should fill them as soon as possible, and it is best to clean your teeth regularly.