Impact of Periodontal Disease on Outcomes in Diabetes

The goal is to look for predictive factors of poor oral health and the impact of poor oral health on the complications of diabetes. The prevalence of periodontal disease among patients with diabetes is higher than in the general population. Periodontal disease is associated with dental loss and increased systemic inflammation which is associated with cardiovascular and bone disease. However, current evidence that treatment of POD will result in improvement of outcomes in patients with diabetes is mixed. Identifying patterns of disease and following biomarkers in patients with diabetes and periodontal disease will answer some of the questions and result in more appropriate recommendations and interventions with reduction in morbidity, mortality and healthcare cost.

This study will be conducted using a cross-sectional design. Investigators will survey 200 consecutive patients with diabetes during routine clinic visits using a questionnaire. Investigators will collect data on demographic information, socio-economic status, oral health status/care, diabetes history (duration, control and complications) and bone health. A subgroup of 24 participants with survey responses suggestive of periodontal disease will be selected to receive treatment for periodontal disease. We will measure their hemoglobin A1c and biomarkers before and after treatment and will compare their levels for changes with treatment. Investigators will analyze collected data using test of proportions, Student's t-test and multivariate regression analyses.