Periodontal findings in diabetic and nondiabetic patients.

This study was conducted to determine the possible influence of diabetes on the pathogenesis of periodontal disease. A total of 148 patients, 120 females and 28 males, were surveyed. Their ages ranged between 9 and 50 years, with an average age of 30. The experimental group consisted of 83 diabetics and there was a control group of 65 nondiabetics. Both groups were divided into patients under and over the age of 30. The results showed: 1. Loss of attachment was higher in the over-30 diabetic group in the presence of similar local factors. 2. A higher Gingival Index was reported in diabetics of the combined age groups than in the controls (P less than 0.05). 3. The Plaque and Calculus Indices did not differ significantly between the diabetic and control subjects. 4. The correlation between the Plaque Index and loss of attachment in diabetics was the most relevant of the correlation analyses. The correlation between the gingival inflammation and loss of attachment indices in the combined diabetic group was also significant. 5. In both groups, diabetics and controls, periodontal destruction increased significantly with age. 6. Juvenile diabetics with severe periodontal disease, as well as others with normal periodontal structures, were found in the course of this study. These findings coincided with the presence or absence of local factors.