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Metabolic control of diabetes helps maintain saliva flow rate and caries: Study

According to researchers, it has been observed that the duration and metabolic control of T2DM are important clinical parameters for oral complications, as published in the Journal of Dentistry.Christos Rahiotis and colleagues from the School of Dentistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece conducted the present study to compare the saliva characteristics and...
According to researchers, it has been observed that the duration and metabolic control of T2DM are important clinical parameters for oral complications, as published in the Journal of Dentistry.
Christos Rahiotis and colleagues from the School of Dentistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece conducted the present study to compare the saliva characteristics and the occurrence of caries in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and patients without T2DM and also aimed to study the impact of inadequate glycemic control on saliva and caries prevalence.
23 adults with T2DM and 18 controls participated. Patients with T2DM were divided depending on their metabolic control: a) well-controlled (W.C.): HbA1c≤7 %, and b) poorly-controlled (P.C.): HbA1c> 7 %). The examined clinical parameters were: 1) number of natural teeth, 2) DMFT index of coronal caries, 3) saliva pH, 4) saliva flow and buffering capacity, and 5) subjective feeling of dry mouth.
The following findings were highlighted-
- The groups W.C and P.C showed significant differences in the number of teeth, the saliva flow, and DMFT. The C and P.C groups presented differences in pH, saliva flow, buffer capacity, and DMFT.
- Finally, the W.C and C groups indicated differences in the buffer capacity, saliva flow, and DMFT.
- The subjective feeling of dry mouth is related to the duration of the disease.
- The DMFT value correlated negatively with the status of metabolic regulation.
- Multiple linear regression revealed that the DMFT value was positively associated with serum HbA1c levels.
Therefore, the authors concluded that "adults with T2DM present a lower saliva flow rate and buffering capacity, as well as higher caries prevalence than controls; the metabolic control of T2DM is essential for the maintenance of saliva flow rate and buffering capacity, and caries prevalence; the duration of T2DM is of importance for the subjective sense of dry mouth."
Furthermore, the duration and metabolic control of T2DM are important clinical parameters for oral complications. Awareness and co-operation of diabetologists and dentists are needed to detect oral lesions in patients with diabetes and be treated timely and effectively, they added.
BDS, MDS( Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry)
Dr. Nandita Mohan is a practicing pediatric dentist with more than 5 years of clinical work experience. Along with this, she is equally interested in keeping herself up to date about the latest developments in the field of medicine and dentistry which is the driving force for her to be in association with Medical Dialogues. She also has her name attached with many publications; both national and international. She has pursued her BDS from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore and later went to enter her dream specialty (MDS) in the Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry from Pt. B.D. Sharma University of Health Sciences. Through all the years of experience, her core interest in learning something new has never stopped. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751