Oral health awareness: Periodontitis among diabetic patients in Chhattisgarh, India.

Awareness on diabetes-periodontitis association among 300 patients (150 diabetic, 150 non-diabetic) attending a tertiary care center in Chhattisgarh is of interest. Only 36% of diabetic participants recognized this link, while 76% of all respondents were unaware of the systemic impact of poor oral hygiene. A mere 24.7% of diabetic individuals had ever been referred to a dentist by a physician. Oral hygiene practices and perceived risk awareness were notably low among both groups. These findings underscore the need for inter-disciplinary efforts and targeted awareness programs to address oral-systemic health gaps.