Effects of saliva substitutes on oral status in patients with Type 2 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
To assess oral status in a sample of Type 2 diabetic patients before and after therapy with saliva substitutes and oral status in a control group of diabetic patients who were not given saliva substitutes.


METHODS
Salivary flow rate was determined in 134 patients (mean age 47.9 ± 2.9 years) with Type 2 diabetes. Mean salivary rate was significantly low compared with a healthy control group. The sample of 134 patients was randomly divided into two groups of 67 people each. One group was given immunologically active salivary substitutes for 6 months, the other group was given nothing. Each patient of the two groups underwent a dental and periodontal examination at the beginning of the study and 6 months later.


RESULTS
As regards carious teeth and teeth loss, there was no statistical difference between the first group after 6 months of treatment with salivary substitutes and the control group (P>0.01). Salivary substitutes did not significantly reduce the periodontal disease (P>0.01). In the group treated with salivary substitutes, after 6 months of therapy, the average dental plaque index decreased from 2.3 ± 0.73 to 1.6 ± 0.56, patients with gingivitis decreased from 66 to 43% and patients with positive yeast counts decreased from 60 to 37%. These differences were statistically significant (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
In Type 2 diabetes, in the case of hyposalivation, a therapy with immunologically active saliva substitutes can be of help in reducing the amount of plaque, gingivitis and positive yeast counts.
Department of Dentistry Department of Nephrology, Second University of Naples, Via L. De Crecchio 4, Naples, Italy. lmontaldo@libero.it
L
L
Montaldo
P
P
Montaldo
A
A
Papa
N
N
Caramico
G
G
Toro
D002908:Chronic Disease; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology*; D012464:Saliva, Artificial / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology
D012464:Saliva, Artificial