Odontogenic inflammatory lesions in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A prospective study of 128 cases

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most widely spread systemic diseases worldwide. It is characterized by hyperglycemic status with major multiorgan impact. With regard to the oral cavity, the relationship between diabetes mellitus and periodontal disease is well-known, although other dental diseases have been neglected.

The aim of this study was to assess the characteristics of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and correlate it with the inflammation of the marginal and apical periodontium and the status of the underlying disease.

The current prospective study analyzed 128 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, in terms of marginal as well as apical periodontal involvement. The patients presented voluntarily for evaluation and treatment of oral diseases and their oral health status was established based on clinical and imaging examinations. Biological samples were collected when necessary to determine mycotic diseases. The clinical characteristics of each patient were recorded in a study sheet, and the data were centralized in electronic format using Microsoft Excel. The statistical values of the assessed cases were calculated with a two decimal accuracy, using the Chi-Square, Mann-Whitney and Student t tests.

The results obtained evidenced an incidence of apical periodontal infection of approximately 50%, with a slightly higher value for patients with decompensated diabetes mellitus compared to those with compensated diabetes mellitus.

The results obtained show a higher incidence of apical periodontal infections, regardless of the compensation level of type 2 diabetes mellitus.