Gingival Crevicular Blood as a Potential Screening Tool: A Cross Sectional Comparative Study

Area of Science:

• Periodontology
• Endocrinology
• Diagnostic Medicine

Background:

• Diabetes mellitus is a global epidemic disease with significant mortality and morbidity.
• Preventive health strategies and accurate screening methods are essential for managing diabetes.
• The glucometer is a conventional device for blood glucose determination, with potential applications in dental settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare gingival crevicular blood glucose measurements with traditional finger-stick blood glucose measurements.
• To evaluate the feasibility of using gingival crevicular blood as an alternative for chairside glucose testing.
• To assess the diagnostic value of gingival blood for diabetes screening.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional comparative study involving 140 participants (70 with type 2 diabetes, 70 healthy).
• Participants aged 31-67 years with positive bleeding on probing were enrolled.
• Gingival crevicular blood and finger-stick blood glucose levels were measured using a glucometer.

Main Results:

• Mean blood glucose levels showed non-significant differences between gingival crevicular blood and capillary blood in both diabetic and healthy groups.
• A highly significant correlation was found between capillary blood glucose and gingival crevicular blood glucose levels (r=0.9834 for diabetics, r=0.8153 for healthy).
• The findings indicate high accuracy and reliability of gingival crevicular blood glucose measurements.

Conclusions:

• Gingival crevicular blood testing is a feasible and useful primary screening tool for diabetes detection and glucose estimation.
• It presents an attractive alternative to finger-stick blood glucose measurements in specific circumstances.
• This method allows for rapid assessment and can aid in the diagnostic evaluation of patients, including those with severe bleeding.