Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. A computer record of all new patients referred to the periodontal department of GDH&S between February 1 and June 30, 2004 was obtained. Case records were located for all 504 patients examined by the five consultants working within the department over this five-month period.
Results: Out of the 504 case records examined 17 DM patients were identified. The incidence of DM amongst periodontal referrals was 3.4%. The incidence of patients registered with diabetes mellitus within Scotland is 2.6% (Scottish Diabetes Survey 2003). Of the 17 DM patients in the study population, 41% were found to be type 1 DM, 47% were type 2 DM and for 12% of diabetic patients the diagnosis was not recorded or not known. Of the registered diabetics in Scotland 17% were type 1 DM, 74% were type 2 DM and for 8% the diagnosis was not recorded or not known. The difference between the number of type 1 DM patients in the study population and the number registered in the general population was statistically significant (p = 0.008, chi-squared test).
Conclusion: In this study the proportion of diabetic patients out of new referrals to GDH&S was around 30% higher than in the general population in Scotland. In addition, the proportion of type 1 DM patients was two and a half times greater than the general population and this difference was significant. This finding may reflect the marked increase in periodontitis in patients with type 1 DM compared with non-diabetic subjects.