Brokers’ Guide: Dental Benefits for Employees With Diabetes | Solstice

People who live with chronic conditions, especially diabetes, often face extra oral health challenges. These issues affect not only their comfort and confidence but also their overall health.

This is why understanding the link between oral health and chronic conditions matters. When brokers explain this connection clearly, employers can make informed benefit decisions — and employees get the support they need.

Keep reading to learn how oral health affects chronic conditions, how it impacts workplace productivity, and how brokers can help employers encourage better utilization of their benefits.

Quick Takeaways

• Diabetes and gum disease affect each other in a harmful cycle.
• Adults with diabetes are 40% more likely to have untreated cavities.
• People with diabetes are three times more likely to develop severe gum disease. 
• Treating gum disease can help improve blood sugar control.
• Untreated dental disease leads to over $45 billion worth of lost productivity each year.
• Strong dental benefits support better health and help control long‑term medical costs.

Why Oral Health Matters When Employees Have Chronic Conditions

The Connection Between Gums and Glucose

Poor oral health and chronic conditions feed off each other. High blood sugar can weaken the body’s ability to fight infection, which makes gum disease more likely to develop.

At the same time, gum disease can make blood sugar harder to control, raising the risk of complications.

People with diabetes often have dry mouth or more glucose in their saliva, which encourages bacteria to grow. This raises the chances of gum infections.

How Oral Health Affects Work and Costs

Oral health problems go beyond the mouth, leading to missed work, emergency dental visits, and long‑term health issues. In fact:

• Untreated dental disease leads to over $45 billion in productivity losses in the U.S. every year.
• 18 per cent of adults with diabetes skip out on dental care, even though they are at a higher risk for cavities and tooth loss.
  consumer affairs: Diabetics are more likely to delay dental care, study says.

By providing access to reliable, affordable care, employers and brokers have a major opportunity to make a difference.

How Dental Benefits Support Employees with Chronic Conditions

1. Help Catch Problems Early

Dentists often see the first signs of gum disease before symptoms become serious. This includes swelling, bleeding gums, or fast plaque buildup—common issues for people with diabetes.

Early dental care prevents pain, saves money, and helps with blood sugar control.

2. Lower Medical Costs Over Time

Giving expanded dental coverage to employees with diabetes can save about $6,000 over their lifetime by preventing complications and advanced gum disease.

Plans that include extra cleanings or periodontal care offer strong value for both employees and employers.

3. Improve Total Health

Gum disease raises inflammation in the body, which can makediabetes harder to manage. Treating gum disease can:

• Support better blood sugar control.
• Lower inflammation that affects overall health.

Oral‑systemic health is a growing priority in both the medical and dental communities.

What Brokers Can Recommend

Offer Plans with Enhanced Benefits

Some dental plans provide extra services that benefit people with diabetes, like added cleanings or gum disease treatments. These help close gaps in care and support better long‑term health.

Encourage Employees to Use Their Benefits

Even when they have coverage, many employees do not think about going to the dentist regularly. People with diabetes are recommended to see a dentist at least twice yearly or every six months.

Look for carriers, like Solstice, who offer member-friendly resources that you can share with your employer groups.

This can include one‑pagers, brochures, or email resources on the topics of:

• How diabetes and oral health are connected.
• Why routine dental visits matter.
• How wellness materials can support healthy habits

Promote Medical‑Dental Integration

A CDC study notes that coordinating dental and medical care improves outcomes and helps lower long‑term healthcare costs.

Integrated care is especially helpful for employees with chronic conditions.

Broker FAQ

1. Why should brokers focus on dental benefits for employees with chronic conditions?

Chronic conditions, especially diabetes, directly affect oral health and lead to higher long‑term healthcare costs. Access to dental benefits helps employees stay healthier and reduces employer spending on healthcare.

2. Which chronic conditions have strong ties to oral health?

Diabetes has the strongest proven link to gum disease. Gum disease is also associated with heart disease and other inflammation‑related issues.

3. How do dental benefits lower medical costs?

Going in for preventive dental care reduces the chances of severe gum disease, emergency visits, and diabetes complications related to inflammation and poor blood sugar control.

4. What plan features should brokers look for?

A valuable employee benefits program allows for medical‑dental integration through features like:

• Additional benefits: Extra cleanings, periodontal treatments, checkups, coverage for teledentistry.
• Chronic disease coaching: diabetes management programs, home‑care guidance tailored to chronic health conditions.
• Incentives for getting preventive dental care: lower copays for periodontal maintenance, no cost preventive visits, rewards for completing dental checkups.

These features support better health outcomes and save money.

5. How often should employees with diabetes visit the dentist?

Most experts recommend at least two visits a year. Some people may need more frequent cleanings depending on gum health.

Now is the moment to help your employer groups choose dental plans that turn benefits into better overall health. Start the conversation, bring the data, and lead with solutions that work in the real world.

Editor’s note: Examples in this article draw on information from multiple sources and carriers, including Solstice.