Assessment of dental caries and gingival status among a group of type 1 diabetes mellitus and healthy children of South India - a comparative study

Dental caries in children and adolescents with poorly-controlled diabetes: a case-control study

The relationship between diabetes and dental caries remains uncertain. The main objective of this study was to quantify dental caries in children and adolescents with and without poorly-controlled diabetes to examine whether poorly-controlled diabetes influences caries prevalence and severity. This was a case-control study of children and adolescents with poorly-controlled diabetes and age-matched controls attending paediatric clinics at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, Abu Dhabi, UAE in August 2022. Dental caries was diagnosed by visual examination and dental probing to derive total number of decayed, missing, and filled tooth or surface (DMFT/DMFS) indices. Differences in caries metrics between subjects with diabetes and controls were assessed using chi-squared or Mann Whitney U-tests. Fifty-seven children and adolescents without diabetes and 42 with poorly-controlled (HbA1c ≥ 7.5) diabetes were recruited. The median (interquartile range, IQR) DMFT index was 4 (5) and the DMFS index was 4 (11). There were no significant differences in DMFT % [14.0 (21.5) vs.13.0 (20.0); p = 0.602], DMFT index [4 (5) vs. 3 (6); p = 0.749], nor DMFS index [5 (12) vs. 4 (11); p = 0.484] between patients and controls. Diabetes either has no effect on caries risk or its effect is so small that it is masked by dominant risk factors such as diet and obesity that require addressing through robust public health measures. While poor glycaemic control does not appear to influence caries risk, diet and obesity remain serious and addressable risk factors affecting oral health.

Poor glycemic control impairs oral health in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus - a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

There are more than one million children and adolescents living with type 1 diabetes mellitus, and their number is steadily increasing. Diabetes affects oral health through numerous channels, including hyposalivation, immune suppression, and the inflammatory effect of glycation end-products. However, patients with type 1 diabetes must follow a strict sugar free diet that is proven to be carioprotective. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to investigate whether children with type 1 diabetes have a difference in Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth index (DMFT), salivary function, and periodontal status than children without diabetes, with an emphasis on glycemic control.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

PubMed, Embase and Cochrane libraries were screened for articles, using predefined search keys without any language or date restrictions. Two independent authors performed the selection procedure, extracted data from the eligible articles, carried out a manual search of the reference lists, and assessed the risk of bias using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Meta-analysis was performed in R using the random-effects model. Effect sizes were mean differences; subgroup analysis was performed on glycemic control.

RESULTS

33 studies satisfied the eligibility criteria. 22 studies did not show a significant difference regarding the DMFT index between the diabetes and non-diabetes groups; six studies found that children living with diabetes had higher DMFT scores, compared to five studies that found significantly lower scores. Meta-analysis found no statistically significant differences in plaque, gingival, and calculus indexes, however it found significant differences in pooled DMFT indexes, and salivary flow rate. Subgroup analysis on glycemic control using DMFT values found significant differences in children with good and poor glycemic control with results of 0.26 (CI95%=-0.50; 1.03) and 1.46 (CI95%=0.57; 2.35), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Children with poor glycemic control face higher risk of developing caries compared to good control and non-diabetes children. Regular dental check-ups and strict control of glycemic levels are highly advised for children living with type 1 diabetes, further emphasizing the importance of cooperation between dentists and diabetologists.

Dental health status of children with diabetes in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Objective

The impact of diabetes on oral diseases remains debatable. We aimed to determine the prevalence of dental caries, gingival health status and knowledge, and oral hygiene level and practice in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Methods

The teeth of Sixty children with diabetes (33 males and 27 females; age 11.3 ± 2.2 [7-14] years) were examined for dental caries following the modified World Health Organization criteria. Data on age, sex, medical history, gingival health status and knowledge, and oral hygiene level and practice were collected from parents.

Results

In this study, 53 % of the children had dental caries with decayed, missing, and filled primary and permanent teeth scores of 5.6 ± 3.8 and 3.6 ± 3.2, respectively, with similar scores for male and female children. Children with and without caries had similar oral hygiene practices and oral health knowledge but differed in the rates of good or fair oral hygiene status (89.2 vs. 56.6 %; P = 0.024) and normal gingival health status or mild gingivitis (96.5 vs. 81.3 %; P = 0.010).

Conclusions

We found that the oral hygiene status and rate of gingivitis differed in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus with or without dental caries.

Periodontitis, Metabolic and Gastrointestinal Tract Diseases: Current Perspectives on Possible Pathogenic Connections

Comprehensive research conducted over the past decades has shown that there is a definite connection between periodontal and systemic conditions, leading to the development and consolidation of the “periodontal medicine” concept. The 2018 classification of periodontal conditions uses this concept as a key element of the precise diagnosis of and individualized therapeutical protocols for periodontitis patients. The topic of this review is the pathogenic connections that exist between periodontal disease and metabolic/digestive tract conditions. It is important to remember that the oral cavity is a key element of the digestive tract and that any conditions affecting its integrity and function (such as periodontitis or oral cancer) can have a significant impact on the metabolic and gastrointestinal status of a patient. Thus, significant diseases with links to metabolic or digestive disruptions were chosen for inclusion in the review, such as diabetes mellitus, hepatic conditions and gastric cancers. Periodontal pathogenic mechanisms share several significant elements with these conditions, including mutual pro-inflammatory mediators, bacterial elements and genetic predisposition. Consequently, periodontal screening should be recommended for affected patients, and conversely, periodontitis patients should be considered for careful monitoring of their metabolic and digestive status.

Evaluation of the Relationship between Salivary Lipids, Proteins and Total Antioxidant Capacity with Gingival Health Status in Type-1 Diabetic Children

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Alteration in salivary composition and its effect on the oral cavity in diabetic child patients remains equivocal.

PURPOSE

This study was performed to assess the relationship between salivary factors and gingival status in children with type-1 diabetes mellitus (DM).

MATERIAL AND METHOD

In this cross-sectional study, 120 subjects aged 6-16 years (60 well-controlled and poorly-controlled diabetics and 60 healthy individuals) were examined to determine the gingival index (GI) and plaque index (PI). The unstimulated saliva samples were collected to measure the salivary triglyceride, cholesterol, albumin, α-amylase, total protein levels by the laboratory kits. Total antioxidant capacity and the free radicals scavenger index were measured by the Ferric Reducing Ability Of Plasma (FRAP) and 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assays, respectively. Data were analyzed by parametric and non-parametric, Pearson correlation, and t tests at a 5% error level.

RESULTS

GI of diabetics was significantly higher than that of healthy individuals (1.51± 0.71 and 0.9±0.81, respectively, p< 0.001). No significant difference was found between the PI of diabetics compared to healthy volunteers (1.59±0.69, 1.63±0.74, respectively). The levels of salivary triglyceride and cholesterol, albumin and total proteins in healthy subjects were significantly higher than that in people with DM (p< 0.001). A significantly more salivary α-amylase activity was found in diabetics compared to non-diabetics (p< 0.001). No significant differences were found between diabetic and non-diabetic subjects in terms of DPPH (95.5, 95.9%, respectively) and FRAP (9.77±0.13, 9.78±0.12 (µmol/mL), respectively).

CONCLUSION

More gingival inflammation and salivary α-amylase activity and lower level of salivary lipids, albumin, and total proteins were found in diabetic patients, but there was no association between the level of lipids, proteins, and the total antioxidant capacity of saliva with periodontal health indicators in patients with DM and healthy individuals.

Periodontal health status of children and adolescents with diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complex metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycaemia resulted from defects in insulin secretion or action, or both. Various studies have reported on the bidirectional relationship between DM and periodontal disease. A systematic search of the literature was performed in several databases, EBSCO Medline Complete, PubMed, Science Direct and a manual search for articles from 2000 until 2019. Literature that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were identified, and data measuring plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), clinical attachment loss (CAL) and periodontal probing depth (PPD) were extracted and subjected to Random-effects meta-analysis. From 947 titles and abstracts screened, 11 articles were included for meta-analysis. It was found that PI, GI, CAL and PPD were significantly higher in DM children than in non-DM children according to the Standardized Mean different (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) (SMD 0.54, 95% CI 0.20-0.87, P = 0.002; SMD 0.63, 95% CI 0.39-0.87, P < 0.001; SMD 0.79, 95% CI 0.52-1.05, P < 0.001, SMD 0.67, 95% CI 0.23-1.11, P = 0.003, respectively). The meta-analysis showed significant differences in PI, GI, PD and CAL between the two groups, favouring non-DM children. Therefore, early detection of DM children with periodontal disease is crucial to prevent periodontal disease.

Dental caries, diabetes mellitus, metabolic control and diabetes duration: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To analyze articles aimed at evaluating the association between diabetes, metabolic control, diabetes duration, and dental caries.

OVERVIEW

A systematic search in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science was conducted to retrieve papers in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, up to April 2019. The research strategy was constructed considering the "PECO" strategy. Only quantitative observational studies were analyzed. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. The meta-analyses were performed based on random-effects models using the statistical platform R. A total of 69 articles was included in the systematic review and 40 in the meta-analysis. Type 1 diabetics have a significantly higher DMFT compared to controls. No significant differences were found between type 2 diabetics and controls and between well-controlled and poorly controlled diabetics. Concerning diabetes duration, all authors failed to find differences between groups.

CONCLUSION

Although there is still a need for longitudinal studies, the meta-analysis proved that type 1 diabetics have a high dental caries risk.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

It is necessary to be aware of all risk factors for dental caries that may be associated with these patients, making it possible to include them into an individualized prevention program.

Does Periodontal Inflammation Affect Type 1 Diabetes in Childhood and Adolescence? A Meta-Analysis

The emergence of link between periodontal disease and diabetes has created conditions for analyzing new interdisciplinary approach making toward tackling oral health and systemic issues. As periodontal disease is a readily modifiable risk factor this association has potential clinical implications. The aim of this paper was systematically review the extant literature related to analytics data in order to identify the association between type 1 diabetes (T1DM) in childhood and adolescence with periodontal inflammation. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we conducted a database search between 2004 and 2019. A manual search of the literature was conducted as an additional phase of the search process, with the aim of identifying studies that were missed in the primary search. One hundred and thirty-nine records were screened and 10 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Most studies were of moderate methodological quality. Outcomes included assessments of diabetes and periodontal status. In diabetic populations, compared to healthy subjects, interindividual differences in periodontal status are reflected in higher severity of periodontal inflammation. The most reported barriers to evidence uptake were the intrinsic limits of cross-sectional report data and relevant research, and lack of timely research output. Based on the evidence presented within the literature, the aforementioned biomarkers correlate with poor periodontal status in type 1 diabetic patients. Whilst the corpus of the evidence suggests that there may be an association between periodontal status and type 1 diabetes, study designs and methodological limitations hinder interpretation of the current research.