Type 1 diabetes mellitus and oral health: assessment of coronal and root caries

OBJECTIVES

The oral health of a large cohort of adult insulin-dependent diabetic patients (Type 1), diagnosed 24 years previously with juvenile onset, was comprehensively assessed. This paper describes the prevalence of coronal and root caries in this adult Type 1 diabetic population and evaluates demographic, dietary, behavioral, physiologic, salivary and medical variables associated with decayed and filled surfaces in the crown (DFS) or root (RDFS).

METHODS

Type 1 diabetes mellitus subjects participating in this oral health evaluation had been monitored for 6-8 years as participants in the University of Pittsburgh, Department of Epidemiology, longitudinal study of medical complications associated with diabetes. Four hundred and six diabetic subjects received a comprehensive oral health examination during one of their regularly scheduled medical visits. Oral assessments included coronal and root caries, missing teeth, edentulism, periodontal status, soft tissue pathologies, salivary function and health behaviors. Sixteen diabetic subjects and one control subject were edentulous. Coronal and root caries data from the remaining 390 dentate diabetic subjects were compared with 202 dentate nondiabetic control subjects.

RESULTS

The adult Type 1 diabetic subjects were not found to have significantly higher DFS rates as compared with our control subjects or published age-adjusted NHANES III findings. Both control and diabetic subjects had low decayed to filled tooth surface ratios. A linear regression model evaluated possible associations with coronal decayed and filled tooth surfaces (DFS) within the diabetic population. Significant factors included older age, women, fewer missing teeth, more frequent use of dental floss, more frequent visits to the dentist during the last 12 months, and diabetic nephropathy. The prevalence of RDFS was higher in the diabetic subjects as compared to recruited control subjects. Neither dietary behaviors nor glycemic control were found to contribute to coronal or root caries.

CONCLUSIONS

Factors associated with presence of coronal and root caries and fillings are discussed. Possible causes and implications for the association between DFS and diabetic nephropathy are provided.

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and oral soft tissue pathologies. I. Prevalence and characteristics of non-candidal lesions

OBJECTIVE

A large epidemiologic study on oral health has found that several oral soft tissue lesions were more prevalent in subjects with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus than in control subjects without diabetes. Our objective in part I of this article is to characterize those lesions not associated with Candida.

STUDY DESIGN

This cross-sectional study determined the prevalence and characteristics of oral soft tissue diseases identified during a comprehensive oral evaluation of 405 adult subjects with diabetes and 268 control subjects without diabetes.

RESULTS

Twenty specific oral soft tissue lesions were identified. Nearly twice as many subjects with diabetes as subjects without diabetes were found to have one or more oral soft tissue lesions (44.7% vs 25.0%; P <.0001). Subjects with diabetes also had significantly higher prevalence rates for 7 lesions, 3 of which were non-candidal: fissured tongue, irritation fibroma, and traumatic ulcers. (Four lesions generally associated with Candida infection-median rhomboid glossitis, denture stomatitis, generalized atrophy of the tongue papillae, and angular cheilitis-will be described in part II of this article.) There were no differences found between the subjects with diabetes and the control subjects for lichen planus, gingival hyperplasia, or salivary gland disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral soft tissue lesions were seen more frequently in subjects with insulin-dependent diabetes than in the control subjects. Characterization of 3 non-candidal lesions suggests that they are associated with trauma, delayed healing, or both.

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and oral soft tissue pathologies: II. Prevalence and characteristics of Candida and Candidal lesions

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prevalence of Candida albicans and oral infection with Candida in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM).

STUDY DESIGN

This cross-sectional study compared the prevalence of candidiasis in 405 subjects with IDDM and 268 nondiabetic control subjects. Assessments included evidence of clinical manifestations of candidiasis and a quantitative measure of Candida pseudohyphae in a cytologic smear from the midline posterior dorsal tongue.

RESULTS

More subjects with IDDM than control subjects without IDDM (15.1% vs 3.0%) were found to have clinical manifestations of candidiasis, including median rhomboid glossitis, denture stomatitis, and angular cheilitis. IDDM subjects were also more likely to have any Candida pseudohyphae in their cytologic smears (23.0% vs 5.7%; P <.0001), as well as pseudohyphae counts of >10/cm(2) (7.1% vs 0.8%; P <.0001). Diabetic subjects with median rhomboid glossitis were more likely to have a longer duration of IDDM and complications of nephropathy and retinopathy. Denture stomatitis was associated with smoking, retinopathy, higher Candida counts, poor glycemic control, and longer duration of IDDM. A multivariate regression analysis found 3 factors to be significantly associated with the presence of Candida pseudohyphae in the subjects with IDDM: current use of cigarettes (odds ratio, 2:4), use of dentures (odds ratio, 2:3), and elevated levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (odds ratio, 1:9). The use of antimicrobials, immunosuppressants, or drugs with xerostomic side effects was not related to the presence of Candida.

CONCLUSIONS

Candida pseudohyphae and oral soft tissue manifestations of candidiasis were more prevalent in subjects with IDDM than in control subjects without diabetes. The presence of Candida pseudohyphae was significantly associated with cigarette smoking, use of dentures, and poor glycemic control.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus and oral health: assessment of periodontal disease

BACKGROUND

The periodontal disease status of 320 dentate adults, diagnosed 23.7 years previously with Type 1 insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, was evaluated. These patients had been monitored at 2-year intervals as part of a large University of Pittsburgh longitudinal study assessing the medical complications associated with insulin dependent diabetes.

METHODS

During one of their regularly scheduled medical examinations, a group of 320 adult dentate subjects (mean age of 32.1 years) received a periodontal examination as part of a comprehensive oral health assessment. The oral health assessment collected data regarding demographics, oral health behaviors, tooth loss, coronal and root caries, salivary functions, and soft tissue pathologies. For the periodontal assessments, 3 facial sites (mesial, midcervical, distal) of the teeth in the right maxillary/left mandibular or left maxillary/right mandibular quadrants were evaluated for calculus, bleeding on probing (BOP) and loss of gingival attachment (LOA).

RESULTS

Attachment loss was significantly greater for older patients whereas BOP and calculus levels were relatively constant across age categories. Univariate analyses of factors possibly related to extensive periodontal disease (LOA > or =4 mm for at least 10% of sites examined) indicated an association with older age; lower income and education; past and current cigarette smoking; infrequent visits to the dentist; tooth brushing less than once per day; older age of onset; longer duration of diabetes; and the diabetic complication of neuropathy. A multivariate regression model of all possibly significant factors found current cigarette use (odds ratio [OR] = 9.73), insulin dependent diabetes onset after 8.4 years of age (OR = 3.36), and age greater than 32 years (OR = 3.00) explained the majority of the extensive periodontal disease in this group of diabetic patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Management and prevention of extensive periodontal disease for Type 1 diabetic patients should include strong recommendations to discontinue cigarette smoking.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus and oral health: assessment of tooth loss and edentulism

OBJECTIVE

The oral health of an adult population previously diagnosed with juvenile onset insulin dependent-diabetes was comprehensively assessed. The goal of this exploratory cross-sectional evaluation was to described the characteristics related to partial tooth loss edentulism in subjects with Type 1 diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

An adult population of 406 Type 1 diabetes mellitus subjects, who had been monitored for 6-8 years as part of a University of Pittsburgh longitudinal study of medical complications associated with diabetes, received an oral health examination for missing teeth, edentulism, coronal and root caries, periodontal status, and oral health behaviors.

RESULTS

Of the 406 subjects evaluated, 204 had no missing teeth, 186 had partial tooth loss (1-27 missing teeth), and 16 were edentulous. Patients who had partial tooth loss or who were edentulous were generally older; had lower incomes and levels of education; and had higher rates of nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy, and peripheral vascular disease. A logistic regression model found partial tooth loss to be significantly associated with extensive periodontal disease in remaining teeth (OR = 7.35), a duration of diabetes longer than 24 years (OR = 5.32), not using dental floss (OR = 2.37), diabetic neuropathy (OR = 2.29), household income less than $20,000 (OR = 2.21), multiple coronal caries and fillings (OR = 1.98), and bleeding on probing (OR = 1.82).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the majority of these adult Type 1 diabetes patients had serious medical complications associated with their diabetes, the possible impact of diabetes mellitus on oral health should be included in their overall management.

Dental splint prescription patterns: a survey

A random sample of U.S. dentists was surveyed with a mailed questionnaire to determine the number of splints that they fabricated over the preceding year for bruxers, patients with myofascial pain-dysfunction syndrome and patients with TM joint pain. The results indicate that a significant number of dentists treat these disorders with dental splints. Estimates are provided for the dental profession's yearly splint output for each disorder.