Gum disease, tooth loss may increase postmenopausal women's risk of death

Buffalo: Gum disease and tooth loss may be associated with a higher risk of death in postmenopausal women but not increased cardiovascular disease risk, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the open access journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Loss of all natural teeth also was linked with an increased risk of death in postmenopausal women, according to the study led by UB researchers.

Severe gum disease may be early sign of undiagnosed diabetes

BMJ: Severe gum disease, known as periodontitis, may be an early sign of type 2 diabetes, reveals research published in the online journal BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care. Screening patients visiting their dentist for the treatment of severe gum disease, to try and stave off the complications associated with longstanding diabetes, would be feasible and worthwhile, suggest the researchers. They base their findings on 313 predominantly middle-aged people attending a university dental clinic: 109 had no gum disease; 126 had mild to moderate gum disease; and in 78 it was severe, affecting the supporting structures of the teeth.