THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ORAL MANIFESTATIONS IN DIABETES AND DURATION OF DISEASE AND GLYCEMIC CONTROL

Diabetes mellitus can have variable and sometimes profound effects upon the oral tissues. It has been shown that uncontrolled or poorly controlled diabetics have particularly a greater incidence of severe recurrent bacterial or fungal infections and periodontal diseases. The purpose of this study was to determine thee relationship between oral manifestations in diabetic patients and duration of disease, and glycemic control. We studied 116 diabetic outpatients referred to Diabetes Clinic of Shahid Bahonar Hospital of Kerman Province. We evaluated the following parameters: dental caries, periodontal status, xerostomia, burning sensation and mucosal alterations. We also recorded information about history of diabetes and glycemic control. Data were subjected to SPSS and X, t- test. The most frequent alterations in this study were gingivitis (96.3%), periodontitis (90.2%), and xerostomia (97.24%). Burning sensation and periodontal diseases were significantly correlated to duration of diabetes (P=0.002, P=0.012 respectively).The results of the present study showed that periodontal diseases occur more frequently in moderately and poorly controlled diabetic patients than in those with good glucose control, but this difference was not statistically significant. In this study, dry mouth and periodontal diseases are common complaints among diabetic patients. Therefore management of oral diseases in diabetic patients should include a comprehensive evaluation of salivary function and periodontal status.