The effect of periodontal treatment on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to explore the effect of periodontal therapy on glycemic control in persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).


METHODS
36 patients with type 2 DM (treatment group) received therapy for adult periodontitis during an 18-month period. A 36-person control group was randomly selected from the same population of persons with type 2 DM who did not receive periodontal treatment.


RESULTS
These groups were well matched for most of the parameters investigated. During the nine-month observation period, there was a 6.7% improvement in glycemic control in the control group when compared to a 17.1% improvement in the treatment group, a statistically significant difference. Several parameters that could confound or moderate this glycemic control were explored. These included the treatment of non-dental infections, weight and medication changes. No moderating effect was associated with any of these variables. However, there were too few subjects in the study to have the statistical power necessary to assess these possible moderators of glycemic control.


CONCLUSIONS
We interpret the data in the study to suggest that periodontal therapy was associated with improved glycemic control in persons with type 2 DM.
Stewart
J E
JE
Department of Veterans Affairs, Greater Los Angeles Health Care System, CA 90012, USA.
Wager
K A
KA
Friedlander
A H
AH
Zadeh
H H
HH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D001835:Body Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D012534:Dental Scaling; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D010483:Periapical Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000628:therapy*; D016745:Root Planing; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013357:Subgingival Curettage; D014081:Tooth Extraction
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin