Oral health in the elderly with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

The purpose of this study was to examine salivary flow rates and selected oral health parameters in 12 patients (aged 76-86 years) with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and also in 20 subjects (aged 76-86 years) with NIDDM and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and to compare them with 32 healthy controls matched for age and gender. Unstimulated salivary flow rates were lower in both groups of NIDDM patients than in the controls, although the differences were not statistically significant. Subjective oral dryness and other oral and non-oral symptoms were more frequently reported by the patients with NIDDM + CVD; however, the differences were usually non-significant. Root-surface caries was more frequently detected in the subjects with NIDDM only, although the difference among groups was not statistically significant. Periodontal treatment need, according to CPITN values, was more frequent in the subjects with NIDDM only, compared with controls or those with NIDDM + CVD, although the differences were again not statistically significant. There were no statistically significant differences in the oral health parameters of the subjects with NIDDM or NIDDM + CVD compared with those of their age- and sex-matched healthy controls.