Association Between Periodontitis and Diabetes: Results from the 4th National Oral Health Survey in China (2015-2016)

To evaluate the cross-sectional correlation between severity of periodontitis and diabetes in a representative sample of the Chinese population.

Data of dentate subjects (35- to 44-year-old group [n = 4,409], 55- to 64-year-old group [n = 4,568] and 65- to 74-year-old group [n = 4,218]) were analysed. Self-reported diagnosis of diabetes was based on a face-to-face interview. Periodontal status was defined according to the 2018 classification scheme. Periodontal parameters included bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD) and attachment loss (AL). Distribution of periodontal status and parameters in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects were calculated. Smoothing plots were illustrated to show the correlation between periodontal parameters/status and diabetes.

The frequency of severe periodontitis (Stage III and Stage IV) in diabetic subjects was significantly higher than that in non-diabetic subjects (41.88% vs 30.22%, P 0.001). The percentages of periodontal parameters of diabetic subjects were significantly higher than those of non-diabetic subjects (57.71% vs 53.12% for BOP, 22.11% vs 16.29% for PD ≥ 4 mm and 2.07% vs 1.22% for PD ≥ 6 mm, respectively). Increased risk of diabetes was observed in subjects with severe periodontitis. Positive associations were found between the percentage of affected teeth with PD ≥ 4/6 mm and diabetes.

Severe periodontitis is associated with diabetes in the Chinese population, and highlighted in younger patients.