Comparison of Caries and Gingival Status in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Healthy Children

Oral health problems often occur in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), and the incidences of dental caries and gingivitis increase as blood glucose (BG) levels rise. This work compared caries and gingival status of patients with T2D and healthy children to improve the understanding and attention of patients with T2D to oral health.

Clinical data of 60 patients with T2D under the age of 10 from May 2020 to September 2022 were retrospectively collected and assigned to the diabetes group. Those 60 healthy children with the same physical examination were collected and assigned to the healthy group. Children in both groups underwent periodontal examination, dental caries examination, and gingival index examination. The prevalence, decayed, missed, and filled teeth (DMFT), caries average (CA), plaque index (PI), gingival crevicular bleeding index (GCBI), attachment loss (AL), and tooth looseness (TL) were observed and compared.

The prevalence of dental plaque (DP) (91.67%) and moderate to severe DP (45%) in the diabetes group was much higher based on those in the healthy group (73.33% and 23.33%) [1.25, 95% CI (0.96, 1.63), P < .001]. The prevalence of caries and CA was greatly higher in the diabetes group (75% vs. 21.67%, 2.88 vs. 1.06), and the incidence of gingivitis was higher (63.33% vs. 16.67%) [1.93, 95% CI (1.38, 2.70), P < .001]. Meanwhile, the diabetes group exhibited much higher PI (2.31 ± 0.13), GCBI (2.45 ± 0.28), AL (5.62 ± 0.47 mm), and TL (0.85 ± 0.17 mm) and exhibited obvious difference to those in the healthy group (0.92 ± 0.21, 0.86 ± 0.23, 1.65 ± 0.46mm, 0.36 ± 0.08 mm) [3.46, 95% CI (2.33, 5.15), P < .001].

The prevalence of dental caries and gingivitis in patients with T2D was higher than those in healthy children. Based on these findings, it is suggested that patients with T2D should be educated and encouraged to prioritize their oral health. Regular dental check-ups, proper oral hygiene practices, and preventive measures, such as professional cleanings and fluoride treatments, should be emphasized. Maintaining optimal blood glucose control is also crucial, as it may help reduce the risk and severity of oral health complications associated with diabetes.