Diabetes is a medical condition where the body is unable to use blood sugar as energy, because the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin, a hormone that balances the amount of glucose in the blood. Insulin deficiency will cause high blood glucose levels which then damage blood vessels and nerves, so diabetes can affect any part of the body including the gums. People with diabetes are more at risk of periodontal disease (dental disease) because they are less able to fight infection in general.
Unfortunately, the link between diabetes and periodontal disease is not well known. People still think that diabetes and dental health are two things that are not related to each other. For this reason, the Periodontia Department of the Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Indonesia (FD UI) in collaboration with the Department of Oral Medicine, FD UI, carried out community service activities in the form of online counseling with the theme “The Relationship Between Periodontal Disease with Diabetes Mellitus and Manifestations in the Oral Cavity” to the Air Force Soldiers’ Wives Association Branch 1 Combined 1.
Chairman of the event committee, Dr. drg. Natalina, Sp.Perio (K) in her speech said that the purpose of this activity was to increase the level of awareness and knowledge of the community regarding the importance of periodontal tissue health and its relationship with diabetes mellitus. “The public is expected to understand the condition of periodontal and healthy oral cavity, recognize the disease, understand the relationship between diabetes mellitus and periodontal disease and its manifestations in the oral cavity,” he said.
The counseling material in this activity was delivered by four speakers, namely drg. Putriani Grisnanda, drg. Deniarti, and drg. Irene Nathania (Periodontia specialist program student class of 2019). Another Speaker was drg. Masita Mandasari, Ph.D., Sp.PM (Staff of the Department of Oral Medicine FD UI) discussed the oral manifestations related to diabetes mellitus patients.
Through the material presented by the speakers, it is hoped that the Air Force Soldiers’ Wives Association mothers will gain insight in maintaining the health of the oral cavity tissue and the general health of individuals with diabetes mellitus, so that overall harmonious body health can be achieved.
This program can be carried out thanks to the cooperation of various parties including the Indonesian Periodontics Association Komda Jaya, and the East Jakarta Branch of the Indonesian Dentists Association. Also present at this event were drg. Robert Lessang, Sp.Perio(K) (Head of Department of Periodontia FD UI), Ratna Wayan Sulaba (Chairperson of PIA Ardhya Garini Branch 1) drg. Maya Lewerissa, Sp.Perio (Chairman of ndonesian Periodontics Association Kodam Jaya), and drg. Gagah Daru Setiawan (Chairman of the Indonesian Dentists Association East Jakarta Branch).
