Evaluation of relationship between dental caries, diabetes mellitus and oral microbiota in diabetics

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease leading to abnormal fat, carbohydrate and protein metabolism. Reduced salivary flow rate caused by hyperglycemia is characteristic mainly for periods of poor metabolic control of diabetes, thereby facilitating the growth of aciduric bacteria and caries-lesion development. The objective of our study was to evaluate the effects of diabetes mellitus on dental caries micro-organisms responsible for caries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was carried out on 60 subjects consisting of 2 groups. The Group A (study group) consisted of 30 subjects with diabetes mellitus and dental caries, and the Group B (control group) consisted of 30 subjects with dental caries but no systemic disease. DFS/dfs index in all subjects was evaluated and compared. Unstimulated salivary flow was collected and levels of Streptococcus mutans were analyzed. RESULTS: It was found that the fasting blood sugar in Group A subjects because of which there was increased streptococcus mutans count and hence high caries index as compared to that of Group B. CONCLUSION: From our study, we could conclude that with increased age, blood sugar levels, DMFT values, dental caries increases in diabetics than in normal (control) subjects and therefore relationship does exist between diabetis mellitus, oral microbiota and dental caries.