Evaluation of oral health status in patients with type 2 diabetes

Background

Type 2 diabetes is among the most prevalent endocrine disruptors. One of the most significant symptoms reported by diabetic patients is dry mouth, which results in reduced saliva buffering capacity and an increased risk of dental caries. So, the purpose of this study was to compare the oral health indicators of type 2 diabetic patients with non-diabetic controls.

Methods

In this case-control study, A total of 306 individuals included in the study (103 T2DM cases and 203 non-diabetic controls) in the age range of 40 to 60 years old. Participants were interviewed using a structured questionnaire including socio-demographics and oral health related to dry mouth factors. The clinical examination included full-mouth probing depths and an assessment of oral mucosal conditions to determine the DMFT index and identify any mucosal lesions. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software with a significance level set at 5 %.

Results

The patients had more probing depths >4 mm, tooth mobility, furcation involvement and missing teeth. The mean score of dry mouth and DMFT indexes were 3.38±2.64, 2.17±1.09 and 19.33±9.54, 15.48±6.93 in the case and control groups respectively. Also, the adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and their 95 % confidence Intervals (CI) reported a significant association as 2.96 (1.36–6.45), 5.90 (2.26–15.39), 0.23 (0.08–0.63) and 4.07 (1.74–9.49) for the above variables respectively.

Conclusion

Overall, the results of this study highlight that chronic periodontitis, tooth mobility, furcation and involvement were more prevalent among T2DM patients compared to non-diabetic controls. By recognizing these relationships and implementing targeted interventions, healthcare providers can improve oral health outcomes.