Type 2 diabetes and oral health: a comparison between diabetic and non-diabetic subjects.
A controlled cross-sectional study with the aim of studying oral health in patients with type 2 diabetes was carried out in a health care district in Sweden. The study included 102 randomly sampled diabetic patients and 102 age- and gender-matched non-diabetic subjects from the same geographical area, treated at the same Public Dental Service clinics. Oral conditions were measured at clinical and X-ray examinations. Diabetes-related variables were extracted from medical records. Diabetic patients suffered from xerostomia (dry mouth) to a significantly higher degree than non-diabetic controls did (53.5 vs. 28.4%; P=0.0003). Sites with advanced periodontitis were more frequent in the diabetic group (P=0.006) as were initial caries lesions (P=0.02). Diabetic subjects showed a greater need of periodontal treatment (P=0.05), caries prevention (P=0.002) and prosthetic corrections (P=0.004). Diabetes duration or metabolic control of the disease was not related to periodontal status. However, patients with longer duration of diabetes had more manifest caries lesions (P=0.05) as had those on insulin treatment when compared with patients on oral/diet or combined treatment (P=0.0001). The conclusion is that individuals with type 2 diabetes in some oral conditions exhibited poorer health. Close collaboration between the patient, the primary health care and oral health professionals could be a way of improving the diabetic patient's general and oral health.
Högskolaw Dalarna, Health and Caring Sciences, Falun, Sweden. gsa@du.se
G E
GE
Sandberg
H E
HE
Sundberg
C A
CA
Fjellstrom
K F
KF
Wikblad
D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D011861:Radiography, Dental; D012016:Reference Values; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014070:Tooth / Q000382:microbiology