Effectiveness of Low-Level Laser Therapy as an Adjunct to Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy in Managing Periodontitis in Diabetic Adults: A Scoping Review

Diabetic patients with periodontal disease have traditionally received nonsurgical periodontal treatments such as scaling and root planing. This review aims to evaluate the efficacy of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal therapy for these individuals. A comprehensive literature search was conducted on MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane library, and ProQuest from January 2015 to January 2025 to assess the effectiveness of LLLT as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal therapy. The findings of this study show that LLLT as an adjunct to NSPT in diabetic adults resulted in statistically significant improvements in clinical parameters compared to NSPT alone. These parameters included the gingival index, periodontal probing depth, clinical attachment level, and HbA1c levels. However, there is a need for a well-designed randomized controlled trial with a larger sample size and a follow-up period longer than six months to further validate these findings. LLLT as an adjunct to NSPT in diabetic patients holds significant potential for its effectiveness by improving local periodontal health. Key Words: Diabetes, LLLT, Low-level laser therapy, NSPT, Non-surgical periodontal therapy