References

Yeung V, Chandan J. The impact of diabetes on treatment in general dental practice. Dent Update. 2018; 45:120-128
Roche EF, Menon A, Gill D, Hoey H. Clinical presentation of type 1 diabetes. Pediatr Diabetes. 2005; 6:75-78
Greenwood M, Meechan JG. General medicine and surgery for dental practitioners: part 3. Management of specific medical emergencies in dental practice. Br Dent J. 2014; 217:21-26

Authors' response

From Volume 45, Issue 4, April 2018 | Pages 366-367

Authors

Vinson Yeung

BDS (Birmingham)

Dental Core Trainee, University Dental Hospital Cardiff/Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff CF14 4XY

Articles by Vinson Yeung

Joht Singh Chandan

Academic Foundation Doctor, Birmingham City Hospital

Articles by Joht Singh Chandan

Article

Firstly, we would like to thank you for taking the time to read our article1 and sharing your thoughts on the topic. We would like to clarify that the focus of the article was to share knowledge and understanding of the impact of diabetes on routine treatment in general dental practice with the readership. The article was not intended to explore diabetes as a condition beyond the depth of the opening introduction; nor was it the intent to explore medical emergencies such as diabetic ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state.

We appreciate that raised blood glucose is the most important presenting clinical ‘sign’ of diabetes. However, in the following context ‘Polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, along with hypoglycaemic episodes are the most common presentations of the disease’,2 we were referring to the common presenting symptoms of diabetes rather than clinical signs. We believe that patients are unlikely to present with recordings of hyperglycaemia to their general medical or dental practitioner. Thus, we consider it actually much more important for a general dental practitioner suspecting diabetes mellitus to enquire about these symptoms.

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