Periodontal Findings in Type 2 Diabetic Jordanian Patients

Many studies have reported the relationship between periodontal disease and diabetes. Diabetes is common amongst the Jordanian population and to date no published data is available regarding the association between these two disease in this population. Objectives: To assess the periodontal status in patients with type 2 diabetic in Jordanian population and to use this as a base line to determine the need for periodontal treatment. Methods: Periodontal examination was performed on 70 consenting diabetic patients with type 2 diabetes referred from a diabetes clinic. The examination included six-sites probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP). Periodontal disease requiring treatment (PTr) was defined as the presence of more than 4 sites with probing depth of greater than 5 mm. Results: The overall average PD(SE) was 2.55(0.02)mm. 39 % of patients required treatment (PTr) and they had PD(SE) of 3.06(0.04)mm. In subjects that did not require treatment(NPTr)the average PD was 2.20(0.02)mm. Overall the CAL(SE) was 3.22(0.04)mm while it was 3.91(0.07)mm in PTr group compared with 2.75(0.04)mm in the NPTr group. Overall 15.2% of teeth were free of BOP (10% of teeth in PTr subjects and 18.7% in NPTr). 62.6% of teeth had three or more bleeding sites (73.1% of teeth in PTr subjects and 57.1% in NPTr). All differences between PRt and NPRt groups were statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusions: High percentage of diabetic patients has active periodontal disease reflected by multiple deep probings and bleeding sites. In addition, a high percentage of subjects had a history of periodontal disease as indicated by the number of teeth with significant attachment loss. These results show that periodontal treatment would be necessary for most of the diabetic patients and meeting this need has resource implications for the Jordanian dental service.