1190-P: Oral Health Status among U.S. Adults with and without Diabetes, 2020

To reduce the risk of gum disease, the American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes brush twice and floss once daily and see the dentist twice a year. But only about two-thirds of all US adults seek dental care within a year. Regular dental checkups are more important for those with diabetes. Thus, we studied the current oral health status (visiting a dentist or a dental clinic in the past year and the number with permanent tooth loss) in US adults aged ≥ 18 years with and without diagnosed diabetes using data from the 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Both diabetes and oral health-related information were self-reported. We computed overall and state-specific age-adjusted estimates by diabetes status. In 2020, 64.4% (95% CI 64.0%-64.8%) of US adults had a dental visit within the past year. Annual dental checkups were more common among women, older people, non-Hispanic White persons, and those having higher education, better income, and health insurance. The proportion of US adults with diabetes seeing a dentist in the past year was significantly lower compared to those without diabetes (56.7% [95% CI 54.8%-58.5%] vs. 65.4% [95% CI 65.0%-65.8%]) . Both men (56.3% [95% CI 53.6%-58.9%] vs. 62.4% [95% CI 61.9%-63.0%]) and women (57.1% [95% CI 54.6%-59.6%] vs. 68.2% [95% CI 67.7%-68.8%]) with diabetes were also significantly less likely to get dental care than their counterparts. The frequency of annual dental visits among adults with diabetes also varied by state; Texas had the lowest percentage (39.8% [95% CI 32.5%-47.6%]) while Alaska had the highest (77.1% [95% CI 68.8%-83.7%]) . Adults with diabetes (34.1% [95% CI 32.4%-35.9%]) were also more likely to have a history of one or more permanent teeth removed due to tooth decay or gum disease than those without diabetes (26.5% [95% CI 26.1%-26.8%]) . Without having regular dental checkup and adequate oral hygiene, adults with diabetes are at increased risk for gum disease. These findings highlight a gap in preventive oral care among adults with diabetes.