The words to use
- Periodontitis
- Chronic inflammatory gum disease that destroys the tissues supporting the teeth. Studies suggest a two-way relationship with diabetes.
- HbA1c
- A blood test showing average blood glucose over recent months. Cochrane (2022) found gum treatment lowered it by about 0.4 percentage points at 3 to 4 months.
- Association versus causation
- An association means two things occur together; causation means one produces the other. Only trials of treatment can show the second.
- Carbon footprint (CO2e)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents. NHS dentistry in England emitted about 675,700 tonnes in 2013/14.
- Net zero
- Cutting emissions so that what remains is balanced out. The NHS aims for 2040 for emissions it controls and 2045 for those it can influence.
