Maintenance of proper oral hygiene for good oral health is an accepted part of the normal recommendations for a healthy lifestyle. Poor oral hygiene is associated with gingivitis, which can progress to more severe infection and inflammation leading to periodontitis. Infectious disease is known to be more common in people with diabetes if blood glucose control is poor, and inflammation is known to be associated with a decrease in insulin sensitivity and thus potentially a worsening of blood glucose control.
The International Diabetes Federation and the World Dental Federation came together under the lead of the IDF Task Force on Clinical Guidelines to address whether the evidence base in this area allowed formal recommendations on oral health and diabetes care to be made. The focus has been placed on activity within diabetes care. The result of the collaboration between the two organizations is the IDF Guideline on Oral Health for People with Diabetes.