Dentists
Need to Discuss Glycemic Control Vs.Periodontal Disease
Poor
Glycemic
Control Directly Related to Severe Periodontal Disease
The
study investigated the association between glycemic control of type 2
diabetes and severe periodontal disease in the US adult population
ages 45 years and older.
Data
on 4343 persons ages 45–90 years from the National Health and
Nutrition Examination Study III were analyzed using weighted
multivariable logistic regression. Severe periodontal disease was
defined as 2 + sites with 6 + mm loss of attachment and at least one
site with probing pocket depth of 5 + mm. Individuals with fasting
plasma glucose > 126 mg/dL were classified as having diabetes;
those with poorly controlled diabetes (PCDM) had glycosylated
hemoglobin > 9% and those with better-controlled diabetes (BCDM)
had glycosylated hemoglobin
9%.
Additional variables evaluated in multivariable modeling included age,
ethnicity, education, gender, smoking status, and other factors
derived from the interview, medical and dental examination, and
laboratory assays.
The
results showed that individuals with PCDM had a significantly higher
prevalence of severe periodontitis than those without diabetes (odds
ratio = 2.90; 95% CI: 1.40, 6.03), after controlling for age,
education, smoking status, and calculus. For the BCDM subjects, there
was a tendency for a higher prevalence of severe periodontitis (odds
ratio = 1.56; 95% CI: 0.90, 2.68).
These
results provide population-based evidence to support an association
between poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus and severe
periodontitis. Community
Dent Oral Epidemiol 2002; 30: 182–92.
