November is Diabetes Awareness Month
A glucometer measures blood sugar.
Diabetes is a serious condition in which the body does not produce insulin, and insulin breaks down sugar. The disease comes in many forms. Type 1 is usually diagnosed during childhood. Type 2 is often diagnosed later in life and is the result of the body not producing enough insulin or cells just ignore insulin. Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy.
More people have diabetes than you might think. Do you know these diabetics?
- Halle Barry (Actress)
- James Brown (Singer)
- Johnny Cash (Singer)
- Carol Channing (Actress)
- Dick Clark (American Bandstand)
- Ty Cobb (Detroit Tigers)
- Syd Barret (Pink Floyd)
- Aretha Franklin (Singer)
- Jerry Garcia (Grateful Dead)
- Joe Gibbs (Washington Redskins)
- Jackie Gleason (Actor)
- Ernest Hemingway (Author)
- Ray Krock (Founded McDonalds)
- Ann Rice (Author)
- Carroll O’Connor (Actor)
- Mary Tyler Moore (Actress)
- Elizabeth Taylor (Actress)
- Anwar Sadat (Prince of Egypt)
- Andrew Lloyd Webber (Composer)
- HG Wells (Author)
And many, many more across all age groups, ethnicities, professions, and locales. Research suggests that 8.3% of the US population suffers from some form of diabetes. While nearly 19 million people know they have diabetes, another 7 million are undiagnosed, and 79 million have pre-diabetes.
What does diabetes have to do with dentistry? Dr. Kobak is interested in your whole health, not just your dental health. However, there’s more to it than that. Gum disease, a chronic infection of the gums, affects 50-80% of Americans. Gum disease has also been linked to increased risk for diabetes, and it is known to cause complications for diabetics. On the flip side, good periodontal health will reduce your risk for developing diabetes.
If you are a diabetic or think you may have gum disease, be sure to tell Dr. Kobak at your next visit!
Your Dental Visit
Contact Syosset Dental to schedule your appointment at 516-433-2211. Our dental office in Syosset, NY welcomes patients from Nassau, Suffolk or New York City.
