Ability to chew may improve blood sugar levels in diabetic patients

The ability to chew may improve the blood sugar levels of people with type 2 diabetes, new research suggests.

The study highlights that patients with type 2 diabetes who have full chewing function have a blood glucose level that is significantly lower than patients whose ability to chew effectively is impaired.

Carried out by the Department of Periodontics and Endodontics at the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Buffalo, the patients were divided into two groups.

The first group included patients who had good ‘occlusal function’. This meant they had enough teeth placed properly and making contact that a person can chew well. The second group were unable to chew well – if at all – due to a lack of some or all teeth.

Results showed the former group’s blood glucose level was 7.48, higher than the second group’s blood glucose levels at 9.42.

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Improving health now

Stats show that an increase of just 1% in blood glucose level is associated with a 40% increase in cardiovascular or ischemic heart disease mortality among people with diabetes, according to researcher Mehmet A Eskan.

Other complications include kidney disease, eye damage, neuropathy, and slow healing of simple wounds like cuts and blisters.

‘I’m interested in research that can improve people’s health now,’ Eskan said.

‘Our findings show there is a strong association between mastication and controlling blood glucose levels among T2D patients.’

Backlog of care

This comes as a charity calls for ‘urgent action’ after a new report revealed the ‘catastrophic impact’ of the state of diabetes care in England.

The new Diabetes UK report into diabetes care in England found that less than half of people with diabetes are receiving vital care.

It revealed that the number of people dying from diabetes in the UK per year has increased by 7,000. The charity believes this rise may be linked to the backlog in routine diabetes care caused by Covid-19.

As a result, Diabetes UK is calling for ‘urgent action’ to address the backlog and prevent avoidable deaths.

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