Introduction: Diabetes is a widespread chronic disease among people with permanent changes in body chemistry, resulting in the excessive amount of glucose in the blood. Chronic hyperglycemia causes damage, disruption or failure of organs: eyes, kidneys, heart, veins and nerves. It consequently affects the oral cavity tissues, especially the gingiva, in patients with diabetes. As a result, the diabetic patients get a periodontal disease, which is one of six most common complications of diabetes. Purpose: The purpose of this diploma thesis is to define the possibilities of alleviating periodontal disease in adult patients with diabetes. Methods: A descriptive method was used for this diploma thesis. Selected slovenian and english professional literature was critically reviewed, from which thirty references were used. The literature was searched from January 2016 until June 2016 via remote access of Faculty of Health Sciences in Ljubljana, where two foreign databases were used: MEDLINE and CINAHL as well as Slovenian databases COBIB.SI and Digital Library of Slovenia. Discussion and conclusion: Inadequate management of glycemia in patients with diabetes is associated with increased susceptibility to oral diseases such as dental plaque, gingivitis and periodontitis. The latter usually manifests as swollen gums, gum discoloration, bleeding during brushing, loose teeth, bad taste and breath. Presumably, this leads to lower insulin resistance, therefore the self-care of a diabetic patient is essential. To prevent periodontitis, nurses in diabetes or reference clinics perform visual inspection of oral cavity in diabetic patients and provide education on oral health. The treatment always starts with a dental hygiene, metabolic orderliness and in worst cases with antibiotic therapy. In this case, multidisciplinary cooperation of a dentist, diabetologist and nurses is required. Patients with diabetes can prevent or alleviate periodontitis with a healthy lifestyle, diet and oral hygiene, whereas health care workers can do so with a constant oral health education and practice.
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