Gingival inflammation in diabetic children related to degree of metabolic control

Earlier studies indicate that diabetic children are less resistant to periodontal disease than healthy children. As the degree of metabolic control of the diabetes ranges widely in a juvenile population, the susceptibility to gingival inflammation may vary. The aim of the present study was to compare the gingival status in diabetic children, subgrouped for control of the disease, with that in non-diabetic children. All comparisons were performed under controlled plaque conditions. 43 diabetic children took part in the study. The controls consisted of age- and sex-matched healthy children. The degree of gingival inflammation and the amount of bacterial plaque were assessed in terms of the Gingival Index and the Plaque Index, respectively. The Plaque Index scores constituted the basis for all comparisons of gingival status. The metabolic control of the diabetics was assessed from the amount of glycosylated hemoglobin fraction HbA1c. For children with the highest Plaque Index scores, diabetics showed statistically significantly higher Gingival Index scores. Only minor differences were seen in the other Plaque Index classes. The diabetic children with poor metabolic control showed a clear tendency towards higher Gingival Index scores than the non-diabetics, while no such tendency was seen between the diabetics with good metabolic control and the non-diabetics.