Open Access

Diabetes mellitus has been linked with an increased risk for oral diseases, especially periodontitis. However, studies results were not consistent. The present study was conducted to evaluate whether both type 1 (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are associated with increased prevalence and extent of periodontal disease and tooth loss compared with non-diabetic subjects within a homogeneous adult study population. T1DM, T2DM and non-diabetic subjects were recruited from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP). Additionally, T1DM subjects were retrieved from a Diabetes Centre in the same region. The total study population comprised 145 T1DM and 2,647 non-diabetic subjects aged 20-59 years, and 182 T2DM and 1,314 non-diabetic subjects aged 50-81 years. Multivariable regression revealed an association between T1DM and mean attachment loss (B=0.40 [95% CI; 0.19, 0.61], adjusted). Also, T1DM was positively associated with increased number of missing teeth after full adjustment (p<0.001). The association between T1DM and tooth loss was enhanced in subjects aged 40-49 and 50-59 years (p for interaction=0.01). In T2DM subjects, mean attachment loss was significantly higher compared with non-diabetic subjects (B=0.47 [95% CI; 0.21, 0.73], adjusted). The effect of T2DM was significantly enhanced in 60-69-years-old subjects (p for interaction=0.04). The association between T2DM and number of missing teeth was not statistically significant after adjustment (p=0.25). Analyses showed that the effect of T2DM on tooth loss was pronounced in females compared with males (p for interaction=0.01). In accordance with previous literature, present results suggested that periodontal diseases and tooth loss can been seen as a complication of both types of diabetes. Generally, periodontal diseases are preventable and treatable. Therefore, appropriate goals and strategies for improving periodontal health in subjects with diabetes need to be developed. Further, early detection and careful managed therapeutics with the physician and dentist working hand-in-hand may prove beneficial to the patient–s general health.