Prevalence of Periodontitis and its Association with Glycemic Control Among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Seen at St. Luke’s Medical Center

Background: Studies have shown that diabetes increases the prevalence and severity of periodontitis. Furthermore, among patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM), poorer glycemic control was found to be associated with poorer periodontal health. Objective: To determine the prevalence of periodontitis and its association with glycemic control among Filipino patients with Type 2 DM. Design: Cross-sectional study Materials and Methods: Diagnosed Type 2 DM patients 35 years and above were recruited from the out-patient clinics of St. Luke’s Medical Center from June-October 2009. Periodontitis was evidenced by the presence of ≥3mm probing depth and ≥3mm periodontal attachment loss at the same site. Periodontitis severity was classified based on probing depth and furcation involvement. Glycemic control was assessed by laboratory assay for HbA1c grouped into 1 year, the odds of having periodontitis is 3.8 times higher (95% CI 1.45-9.76, p-value 0.007) among subjects with HbA1c ≥7% compared to those with HbA1c 1 year that resulted in a statistically significant association with periodontitis. Keywords: Periodontitis; Glycemic control; Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Philippine Journal of Internal Medicine , Vol. 48 No. 1: Jan-Jun 2010, pp 9-14