[Relationships between diabetes mellitus and periodontal disease: current knowledges and therapeutic prospects]

Diabetes mellitus is a disorder of the endocrine system. An important pathology of dental interest to which the diabetic patient can go encounter, especially if not controlled from the metabolic point of view, is the periodontal disease. The aim of this review is to illustrate the relation between diabetes mellitus and periodontal disease estimating the several therapeutic options on hand in the clinical daily practice. Many studies show an important association between diabetes and the pathogenesis of periodontal disease. Vascular changes caused by hyper-glycemia are associated to the development of periodontal pathogens species. Moreover, diabetics show an exacerbate host response with hyperproduction of inflammatory mediators and polymorphonuclear dysfunction. Diabetics with good metabolic control and patients with good oral hygiene show a reduced risk of periodontitis. In conclusion, diabetes mellitus (of type 1 and type 2) is an important risk factor for periodontitis. Diabetes mellitus determines changes in bacterial population and production of inflammatory mediators, and reduces the efficacy of the host response. Good controlled diabetes do not cause a major risk of periodontitis and improve the results of the periodontal initial therapy and of the eventual surgical therapy. Moreover, periodontal therapy may reduce the request of insulin in diabetics. It is reasonable a reciprocal relation between diabetes and periodontal disease.