Oral Health of Children and Adolescents with Diabetes Mellitus

Aim: To examine the oral health of children and adolescents with and without diabetes mellitus. Background: Diabetes mellitus is the most common metabolic disease in childhood and demonstrates an increasing incidence. Many children live with gingivitis as a precursor to periodontitis. If left untreated, it can cause the development of periodontitis. The links between periodontitis and diabetes mellitus are known but have been little studied in the age group of children and adolescents. Materials and Methods: Clinical examination and collection of sulcus fluid from participants aged 5 to 21 years was performed. The following data were collected: demographic variables, caries prevalence, DMF-T, VPI, PUFA, salivary flow rate, HbA1c, PSI, and the concentration of IL-1β, IL-6, MMP-8, and TNF-α. Results: Patients with diabetes mellitus showed a significantly lower salivary flow rate with higher concentrations of MMP-8 and IL-1β. The data indicate that at this age, regular visits to the dentist are of great importance for the promotion of oral health in children and adolescents regardless of diabetes and that patients with diabetes mellitus in particular benefit from prevention, as they belong to the periodontitis risk group. Conclusions: Patients with low salivary flow rates and increased inflammatory mediators are high-risk patients for whom dental preventive measures play a major role.