A Case–Control Study of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Periodontitis in Saudi Arabian Adults

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and periodontitis is bidirectional and has been investigated. However, the evidence from the middle-eastern region is sparse. The current report assessed the association between uncontrolled T2DM and periodontal status from a sample of the Saudi Arabian adult population. METHODS: A case–control study was carried out. Cases were adults diagnosed with periodontitis (clinical attachment loss ≥1 mm) and controls were patients from the same dental setting with no gum conditions matched with age, sex, and location. Diabetes was recorded using HbA1c readings. The other health conditions including hypertension, epilepsy, bronchitis, thyroid disorders, and arthritis were obtained from medical records. Data on the use of tobacco and related products (smoking, khat/qat, sheesha, shammah) were gathered using a self-perceived questionnaire. Frequencies, percentages, p-values, crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals were computed. RESULTS: Overall sample comprises 166 cases and 332 controls with a mean age of 37.5 years. Multivariable analysis indicated uncontrolled T2DM as an important predictor for periodontitis among Saudi Arabian adults, and they had nearly three times greater odds (OR: 2.779; 95% CI: 1.425–5.419; p=0.003) of being diagnosed with periodontitis in contrast to non-diabetics. Secondary findings revealed that cigarette ever-users were two times more likely to be suffering from periodontitis than never-users, and those brushing once per day or less had five times greater odds of developing periodontitis as compared to those brushing twice daily. CONCLUSION: To conclude, the current evidence from Saudi Arabia is supportive of earlier studies and an awareness of this association is warranted among all healthcare providers and patients in the region for early detection of periodontitis.