Salivary glucose as a metabolic control marker in patients with type 2 diabetes

A study was made of the correlation between the serum and salivary glucose levels in healthy subjects and in patients with type 2 diabetes, in order to establish the validity of salivary glucose determination in monitoring glycemia. Ninety-seven subjects were included in the study: 47 diabetic patients and 46 controls, aged between 40- and 80-years-of-age. Venous blood and saliva samples were collected in both groups under fasting conditions and after administering a test meal (15% proteins, 55% carbohydrates and 30% lipids). The glucose levels were measured using the glucose oxidase technique. The salivary glucose levels were seen to be greater in the diabetic group vs the controls both under fasting conditions (baseline) and after the meal (postprandial) (p=0.023 and p=0.008, respectively). A significant positive correlation was found between the serum and salivary glucose levels at baseline and under resting conditions, particularly in the diabetic group (r=0.389, p=0.002). The coefficient of determination of the simple linear regression model was R2=0.042, showing salivary glucose to be related to the blood glucose levels. In conclusion, salivary glucose concentration is correlated to serum glucose, particularly in type 2 diabetics.