Authors' response

Firstly, we would like to thank you for taking the time to read our article¹ and sharing your thoughts on the topic. We would like to clarify that the focus of the article was to share knowledge and understanding of the impact of diabetes on routine treatment in general dental practice with the readership. The article was not intended to explore diabetes as a condition beyond the depth of the opening introduction; nor was it the intent to explore medical emergencies such as diabetic ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state.

We appreciate that raised blood glucose is the most important presenting clinical ‘sign’ of diabetes. However, in the following context ‘Polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, along with hypoglycaemic episodes are the most common presentations of the disease’,² we were referring to the common presenting symptoms of diabetes rather than clinical signs. We believe that patients are unlikely to present with recordings of hyperglycaemia to their general medical or dental practitioner. Thus, we consider it actually much more important for a general dental practitioner suspecting diabetes mellitus to enquire about these symptoms.