Dr. Nabih bin Abdullah Al-Qahtani, was Granted Patent for Chronic Gum Disease and Diabetes Diagnosis Devices
Vice Dean of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, College of Dentistry, member of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Society for Periodontology, Dr. Nabih bin Abdullah Al-Qahtani, was granted a patent from the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property for inventing a device to diagnose chronic periodontal disease and diabetes.
Vice Dean Al-Qahtani explained that the portable device is connected to a graduated millimeter glass capillary tube that can be used once per patient and helps in measuring gingival sinuses and measuring blood sugar in the gingival blood. He added the idea of the invention was inspired from diabetes patients, explaining that in every visit to the dentist for any surgical procedure or any treatment related to the gums, patients are required to take a blood sugar test through traditional devices that require pricking the patient's finger to obtain blood drops and placing them on the tape of the device to read their level of blood sugar. This is followed, he noted, by examining the periodontal tissue as a routine procedure using the Periodontal Probe, a diagnostic tool through which the depth of the gingival sinuses is known to arrive at a final diagnosis of periodontal disease. On his invention, Vice Dean Al-Qahtani said: "The device is used to diagnose two types of chronic diseases simultaneously, which is what dentists need to save money, time, and effort. The process is a painless routine and has taken into account infection control, and can be sterilized for each patient."