Dental Health: Diabetes
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of investment in gum disease management on the cost of diabetes-related healthcare.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock
No assessment has been made of the impact of investment in gum disease management on diabetes-related healthcare costs. However, research and evidence-based publications produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), NHS England, and the World Health Organisation do consistently indicate that periodontal treatment to manage gum disease will impact diabetes related healthcare.
NHS England’s commissioning standard on dental care for people with diabetes, building upon NICE research, states that periodontal, or gum disease, treatment is likely to be cost-effective for people with type 2 diabetes, where improvements in glycaemic control are maintained. Improved management of periodontal health and subsequently diabetes control leads to decreased use of healthcare services and cost savings to the National Health Service, achieved through an integrated care pathway. NHS England’s commissioning standard on dental care for people with diabetes is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/commissioning-standard-dental-care-for-people-with-diabetes/
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