Diabetic Complications Increase Risk for Periodontitis

TOPLINE:

Diabetic neuropathy and retinopathy are associated with a higher risk for moderate/severe periodontitis. Dyslipidemia further increases this risk, highlighting the need for comprehensive management in patients with diabetes.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the Health in Central Denmark study, including 15,922 participants with type 2 diabetes.
• Participants were aged 18-75 years and were identified using a validated algorithm based on hospital diagnoses, medication purchases, and laboratory data.
• Data collection involved electronic questionnaires and national registers, covering sociodemographic factors, lifestyle behaviors, and health conditions.
• Diabetic neuropathy and retinopathy were determined through self-reported doctor diagnoses and recent examinations by podiatrists and ophthalmologists.
• Moderate/severe periodontitis was assessed using a validated questionnaire and classified according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Periodontology.

TAKEAWAY:

• Diabetic neuropathy was associated with a 1.36-fold increased risk for moderate/severe periodontitis (95% CI, 1.14-1.63).
• Diabetic retinopathy was associated with a 1.21-fold increased risk for moderate/severe periodontitis (95% CI, 1.03-1.43).
• The coexistence of neuropathy and retinopathy was associated with a 1.5-fold increased risk for moderate/severe periodontitis (95% CI, 1.23-1.85).
• Dyslipidemia had an additive effect on the risk for moderate/severe periodontitis, with relative excess risk due to interaction of 0.24 for neuropathy and 0.44 for both complications.

IN PRACTICE:

“The directional link from microvascular complications to moderate/severe periodontitis may be attributed to the long-term effect of poor glycemic control along with endothelial dysfunction and microangiopathy,” wrote the authors of the study.

SOURCE:

This study was led by F.V. Bitencourt, Department of Dentistry and Oral Health, Aarhus University in Aarhus, Denmark, and was published online in Journal of Dental Research.

LIMITATIONS:

The study’s cross-sectional design limited the ability to establish a temporal relationship between diabetic complications and periodontitis. Self-reported data on microvascular complications may be subject to misclassification. The study was conducted in the Central Denmark Region, which may have limited the generalizability of the findings to other populations. The glucose-lowering medication variable could not precisely account for the diverse dosages required in managing diabetes-related complications.

DISCLOSURES:

Bitencourt, A. Andersen, and F.R.M. Leite disclosed receiving grants from the Singapore Ministry of Health’s National Medical Research Council. Additional disclosures are noted in the original article.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.