In the run up to World Health Day on 7 April, the British Association of Dental Therapy (BADT) said that dental teams should screen for diabetes and offer dietary advice in the global battle to control the onslaught of the disease.

This year's World Health Day campaign focused on the growing epidemic of the disease, looking at the causes, the costs and the need for prevention.

Some 350 million people around the world have diabetes and this figure is set to more than double in the next 20 years.

In a bid to halt the rise in cases of Type 2 diabetes, in particular, Amanda Gallie, president-elect of BADT, is suggesting dental practices could and should expand their health remit to include blood glucose testing, diet and wellbeing advice and motivating patients to better health habits, thereby minimising the risk of diabetes.

Amanda said: ‘Preventive health care lies at the very heart of the role of the dental profession and, in primary care, we are better placed than most health providers to alert patients to the early signs of health-threatening behaviours as we see patients so regularly.

‘Offering in-practice screening for diabetes, in the form of blood glucose testing, not only adds value to the patient's dental experience but also acts as a key marker regarding risk for pre-diabetics and can be a catalyst to discussions about the importance of good dental hygiene and other preventive measures.

‘When we consider the current financial restraints within the NHS – and the seemingly unstoppable increase in chronic conditions such as diabetes – the role of dentistry has never been so important in an overall health care. The Government should consider funding these diabetes tests as an investment in the future health of a nation because, with regular screening, and education about preventive measures we can draw attention to this disease and keep the associated health risks at bay.’

This year, Philip Preshaw, professor of periodontology and consultant in restorative dentistry at Newcastle University, is the keynote speaker at the BADT's annual conference – From Cradle to Grey: Developing 21st century strategies for age-related oral care – taking place in Manchester on 23 and 24 September.

He will be addressing the clinical challenges presented by diabetic patients, will look at how the disease increases the risk for periodontitis and will offer an insight into the links between periodontal disease, diabetes and heart disease.

For more information, visit www.badt.org.uk.

For more on World Health Day, visit http://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2016/en/.