Hyporesponsiveness of Nerves of the Dental Pulp in Type 2 Diabetes – An Enigmatic Oral Sign

Abstract

Background: Type 2 diabetes, the most predominant type of diabetes, can lead to complications in the oral cavity and body due to its impact on physiological functioning, especially the nervous system. Objectives: The current study was conducted to investigate the effect of hyperglycemia on dental nerves as a potential oral sign for detecting untreated type 2 diabetics. Materials and Methods: The present study is a cross-sectional observational study involving 500 patients (355 diabetics and 145 nondiabetics). Nerve responses (3685 teeth) were recorded by subjecting them to electrical stimulation using an electric pulp tester. Standard deviation, Student t-test, and Pearson correlation were used to determine the mean of nerve responses, compare groups, and correlation, respectively. Results: Significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed in nerve responses between anterior and posterior teeth for both groups. Diabetics had a lower nerve response (P < 0.05), and a positive correlation between nerve response and blood glucose levels (r = 0.259 for anterior and r = 0.208 for posterior teeth) was observed. Additionally, positive correlations were found between nerve response and age/duration of type 2 diabetes (r = 0.18 for anterior and r = 0.21 for posterior teeth). Conclusion: The study suggests delayed nerve reactions in the dental pulp of diabetics, indicating possible noninvasive assessment of nerve tissue damage with an electric pulp tester device.