Prevalence of systemic diseases in patients with dental infections

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of diabetes and other risk factors in patients with dental infections. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 50 patients who preferred in maxillofacial word of shariaty hospital with acute dental infections in 9 months. A self-administered questionnaire was administered during a dental appointment in order to gather demographic information and recorded past history of systemic disease, OPG radiography, gingival examination, and the result of lab tests such as CBC, FBS, PT, Bilirubin, Creat, T3, T4, TSH, HIVAb and HBSAg. 28% of the subjects and diabetes, 28% Anemia, 4% Hepatitis and 4% suffered from thyroid deficiency. 28% were smokers and 18% declared using alcohol. 6% of this population was addicted to narcotic substances. There was a significant correlation between age, education, diabetes and dental infections (P<0.05). DMFT for people with dental infections without any systemic disease were 8, for diabetic patients, smokers and alcohol users were respectively 17.16, 17 and 14. Diabetes found highly prevalent in patients with dental infection and high DMFT.It indicates a need to establish a comprehensive oral health promotion program based on whole examination and blood glucose control in diabetic patients who have acute dental infection by collaboration between dental and general health care professionals. Moreover, it is recommended that all patients should be educated in dental and oral health for prevention of dental infections.