Diabetics advised not to ignore dental conditions

Seminar addresses dental issues in patients of diabetese

KARACHI:  

Health experts have said that patients of diabetes should not ignore dental diseases because they are linked to all the organs of the human body. They said that the prevalence of oral cancer is high in Pakistan because of the consumption of paan, gutka, mainpuri, niswar, sheesha and smoking.

The use of such things is detrimental for diabetics and they have to bear the brunt of such habits. The patients should clean their teeth regularly and children and the elderly should also brush their teeth regularly and gargle with lukewarm water every day.

These experts were addressing an awareness seminar at Avari Towers organized by Colgate and Express Media Group on Saturday.

The health experts who spoke included Professor Marveen Hussain, diabetes expert Dr Zaman Sheikh, Prof Dr Imran Hasan, Dr Ashar Aafaq and Dr Zia Abbas. Eesa Alvi represented Colgate and Executive Director Azfar Nizami, Associate Director Kamran Ahmed, Shahabuddin Fareedi and Tabassum Abbas represented Express Media Group.

Prof Hussain said ignoring dental diseases causes other diseases and complications, which can be dangerous. They should regularly have their blood sugar and dental health conditions checked.



Dr Sheikh said that patients should immediately consult physicians in case of minute infection and cavities in the teeth. Carelessness can inflict severe damage to the teeth of diabetics and the symptoms include wobbly teeth, pain in gums during chewing of food and bad breath. He said that teeth infections can negatively affect the efforts of blood sugar control.

Professor Hasan, Dr Afaq and Dr Abbas said mouth cancer is spreading fast in the youth of Pakistan. They said the treatment of cancer is very expensive and out of reach for most patients. Spreading awareness is important and school children should be targeted in awareness campaigns, said the experts.

They should also be made aware of the importance of brushing their teeth. They should be told that chewing chalia creates injuries in the mouth which can later develop into cancer. In case they feel any infections or blisters in their mouths, on their tongues or gums they should quickly consult a qualified doctor. Other countries have levied heavy taxes on items causing cancer and the rates of their use dropped sharply. They have also imposed heavy taxes on unnecessary use of sugar in edible items.

The experts said that mouth cancer can only be diagnosed through biopsies but patients and their families are often opposed to this, which is wrong. Only if the disease is diagnosed can treatment be started, they said.