German Oral Health Foundation
Diabetology
Your chance for a healthy life with diabetes
As the German Oral Health Foundation (DMS), we want to accompany you on your journey to a healthier, fitter life. We want to help you stay healthy, productive and resilient – in both recreational and competitive sports. Personalised prevention with functional biomarkers such as aMMP-8 plays a key role in this. This is because silent inflammation in the oral cavity can put strain on the entire body. It affects regeneration, the immune system and even your performance. So have your aMMP-8 level tested now – at your specialist practice or at any OralFitness® dental centre.
The aMMP-8 saliva screening
The aMMP-8 saliva screening measures the destruction of the extracellular matrix¹ and collagenolysis² in real time. Collagen is the most common structural protein in the human body. It strengthens the oral immune barrier by giving the oral mucosa structure and stability, thus making it more difficult for pathogens to penetrate. Damage to the oral mucosa allows inflammation and pathogens to enter the bloodstream, promoting systemic diseases. This is why prevention is so effective.
¹ Network of proteins and sugar molecules between cells that gives tissue support, structure and stability.
² Breakdown of collagen fibres
³ This content is taken from Consensus Paper 25/2026 of the Health Senate of the DMS
For people with diabetes mellitus, blood sugar is usually the main focus – it is checked regularly, for example via the so-called HbA1c value.¹ However, recent findings show that inflammation in the body also plays an important role, especially when it comes to possible secondary diseases such as heart attacks or strokes.² .
Particular attention is paid to oral health. Inflammation in the mouth can play an important role in the development or worsening of insulin resistance – a condition in which the body no longer responds well to insulin.³
This is precisely where the aMMP-8 saliva test comes in. This test measures a functional biomarker in saliva that can provide real-time indications of impaired immune defence in the mouth – often before you even notice any symptoms yourself.
¹ gl. American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. Treatment: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2025. Diabetes Care. 2025; 48 (Suppl. 1): S.1- S. 343.
² Vgl. ebd.
³ Vgl. Preshaw PM, Alba AL, Herrera D, Jepsen S, Konstantinidis A, Makrilakis K, Taylor R. Periodontitis and diabetes: a two-way relationship. Diabetologia. 2012; 55:21-31.
How does the aMMP-8 test benefit me as a diabetic?
When should the test be performed?
It is recommended that the aMMP-8 test be performed every 6 months as part of diabetes monitoring.
How does the test work?
The aMMP-8 test is quick, painless and does not require a blood sample. It is simply a saliva test – convenient and simple, carried out at the specialist's surgery. If the results are abnormal, a referral to a dentist is recommended. The test opens up new perspectives for interdisciplinary, personalised inflammatory medicine.
What happens with certain test results?
Test result: Elevated value
Recommendation: Visit the dentist for a check-up and professional teeth cleaning. If successful, this will simplify diabetes management and help delay or even prevent the development of long-term complications.
Our recommendation for you
Talk to your dentist or specialist. We are happy to provide your dental practice with an aMMP-8 test free of charge*. If you are interested, please register here, tell us the name of your dental practice, and we will send the test directly to your dentist:
Visit one of our certified practices, which you can find in our practice finder: