EC Dental Science

Objectives: The objective of the present study was to assess the knowledge and awareness about oral manifestations of diabetes mellitus and the risk of developing oral diseases due to complications associated with diabetes mellitus among health professionals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Methodology: An observational cross-sectional study was undertaken using a structured questionnaire that was distributed to 277 health-care practitioners. The questionnaire consisted of 12 questions that collected demographic data and asked about 10 oral manifestations related to diabetes mellitus.

Results: The study group comprised 277 participants. The responses highlighted low levels of knowledge about the oral manifestations of diabetes mellitus, with a mean value of 4.48 out of a possible score of 12. There were no significant relationships of total knowledge score with the variables, including age, gender, qualifications, or having a relative with diabetes mellitus. However, dental professionals had significantly higher total knowledge scores than medical professionals (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The present study revealed that there is a need to enhance the levels of knowledge and awareness about oral health and diabetes mellitus among health-care providers and also a need to develop appropriate patient-centered protocols to ensure patients with diabetes mellitus have appropriate oral health care to prevent and lessen the risk of possible related oral diseases. A collaborative approach between medical and dental professionals may result in accurate patient assessments and education that results in better overall health outcomes.

Keywords: Knowledge; Awareness; Oral Manifestations; Diabetes Mellitus; Saudi Arabia

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