title: Oral health in rural South African type 2 diabetic patients.
abstract: Diabetes increases the risk of periodontal disease, but information from the tropics is lacking, and the relationship between periodontal disease and glycaemic control is uncertain. We examined 23 type 2 diabetic patients in a rural and resource-poor area of South Africa. Mean age was 59 +/- 10 (1SD) years, and diabetes duration 6 +/- 6 years. In all,11 were 'well controlled' (glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) < 8.0%, mean 6.5%), and 12 'poorly controlled' (HbA1c > 8.0%, mean 13.0%). Periodontal disease was more common in the poorly controlled group (42% versus 18%, P < 0.002). We conclude that dental health is poor in type 2 diabetic patients in rural Africa, and that periodontal disease is closely related to glycaemic control. Improved dental and diabetes care is needed in such communities.
authors.affiliation: Hlabisa Hospital, KwazuluNatal, South Africa.
authors.forename: Thabit
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Peck
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: Paddy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: English
authors.forename: Geoff
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gill
mesh_terms: D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012424:Rural Population; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin