Relationship between glycemic control and oral health status in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Aims: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with dry mouth, reduced saliva, taste changes, and periodontal disease. This study aimed to evaluate and determine the correlation between oral health status and glycaemic control levels in patients with type 2 DM (T2DM). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on patients with T2DM aged 35-65 years. Glycemic control levels were categorized as good control (≤7% of HbA1c) and poor control (>7% of HbA1c). Full mouth plaque score (FMPS), full mouth bleeding score (FMBS), probing depth (PD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) were determined, along with xerostomia (using a standard questionnaire) and hyposalivation (using modified Schirmer test, MST). Results: This study included 70 individuals with T2DM, comprising 49 males (70%) and 21 females (30%) with a mean age of 55.36±8.3 and 49.36±6.8 years, respectively. Among those with poor glycemic control, a significantly higher prevalence of xerostomia (52.2%), hyposalivation (47.8%), and periodontitis (moderate; 47.8% and severe; 21.7%) was observed compared with those with good control (p=0.027, 0.001, 0.007, respectively). HbA1c exhibited a significant moderate positive correlation with FMPS (r=0.447; p=0.001) and a low correlation with FMBS (r=0.283; p=0.018) and CAL (r=0.301; p=0.011). Conclusions: The study concluded that individuals with poor glycemic control for T2DM have a higher incidence of xerostomia, hyposalivation, and compromised periodontal health, resulting in a decline in their oral health status.