Effect of glycemic conrol on periodontal status.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between glycemic control and the periodontal status of an urban population with poor oral hygiene. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Memon Dental Care Centre and Memon Diabetic and Diagnostic Centre, Karachi, from July to December 2010. METHODOLOGY: One hundred and forty-one individuals with controlled diabetes and 143 with uncontrolled diabetes were recruited from the dental clinic. All underwent clinical examination and grades on plaque index, gingival index, periodontal index and calculus index were recorded and compared. RESULTS: The group with uncontrolled diabetes included 56 males (38.9%) and 88 females (61.1%), and the controlled diabetic group included 49 males (34.8%) and 92 females (65.2%). Periodontal index, gingival index and plaque index showed significant differences in both the groups (p-value < 0.016, < 0.001, < 0.002, respectively) while the difference of calculus was not significant i.e. 0.056. The mean number of teeth present in both the groups was 22. Most of the subjects cleaned their teeth once daily with the help of tooth brush, while the patients brushing twice daily were 16%. CONCLUSION: Uncontrolled diabetes had significantly severe impact on periodontal status in the studied groups with poor oral hygiene; diabetic patients have more number of missing teeth, and more plaque.