Periodontal treatment needs of diabetic adults

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate diabetes-related factors in relation to periodontal treatment needs. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 299 dentate diabetics attending a diabetic clinic in Tehran, Iran. A self-administered questionnaire was administered during a dental appointment in order to gather information about year of birth, year of onset of diabetes, education and organ complications related to diabetes. Number of teeth, the Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs and visible plaque were recorded. Results: None of the subjects had a healthy periodontium. Shallow periodontal pockets were the most prevalent finding. Periodontal pockets exceeding 5 mm and a higher number of missing teeth were associated with a low level of education. The sum of plaque scores [odds ratio (OR)=1.3; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-1.5] was related to the presence of deepened pockets when controlling for other factors. Among diabetes-related factors, the only significant association with CPITN >= 3 was by HbA1c (OR=0.7; 95% CI 0.6-0.9); for CPITN=4, no associations with the diabetes-related factors appeared. Conclusions: The poor periodontal status of our diabetic patients indicates a need to establish a comprehensive oral health promotion programme for diabetics based on collaboration between dental and general health care professionals involved in diabetic care.