Diabetes is a serious metabolic disease which impacts many parts of the body, including the gums. Diabetics have impaired immune cells which cannot adequately fight the oral bacteria. Diabetics are more likely to develop periodontal disease compared to non-diabetics. However, diabetics who are well controlled are similar to non-diabetics. Therefore, careful treatment and monitoring of the diabetes is an important part of periodontal therapy. Interestingly, some studies found that control of the periodontal infection can help patient’s lower their blood sugar levels.