Zinc and type 2 diabetes mellitus with periodontitis – a systematic review

Diabetes mellitus has been increasing rapidly worldwide, making it a huge health pressure on society in both the developed and developing countries. During the last thirty years, diabetes mellitus, a chronic metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia is proving itself to be fatal. Periodontitis was considered as one of the main, oral health problems encountered in patients with diabetes mellitus. There exists a direct relation between the risk of complications of diabetes and periodontitis over time. The present review gives an outline of the features that govern the interrelationship between zinc and diabetes mellitus with periodontal disease, including the physiologic mechanisms and clinical studies, and presents scientific evidences. The disturbance in the zinc micronutrient and increased oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes may bring about insulin resistance and the creation of diabetic complications. The progression of diabetes mellitus may bring about perturbation in micronutrient metabolism and status.