Periodontal Health Status of Children with Type 1 Diabetes mellitus in Khartoum

This study was intended to fulfil the following main objectives:- 1- To study the periodontal health status of type 1 diabetic children 2- To compare the periodontal health status of diabetic children with non-diabetic children of comparable age. 3- To investigate the severity of periodontal disease in relation to the duration of diabetes, metabolic control and presence of systemic complications. 4- The study sample was 100 subjects, 40 diabetic type 1 children and 60 healthy non-diabetic children in Khartoum State. They were aged 7-15 years with a mean age of 13.5 years. 5- The study group had been further subdivided into two subgroups according to metabolic control (30% controlled diabetic and 70% noncontrolled). 6- Periodontal parameters were investigated including Plaque Index (Silness and Löe 1964). Gingival index (Löe and Silness 1963). Periodontal pocket depth using Michigan 0 type probe and calculus on the bases of present or absent. 7- Indicators of oral health behavior were detected (frequency of cleaning the mouth / day and visits to the dentist). 8- Information about the systemic disease including duration, systemic complications and laboratory investigation of the level of metabolic control, were also obtained. The results of this study indicated that:- 1- Higher plaque index scores, gingival index scores and calculus in diabetic test group. They were statistically highly significant. 2- Both groups (test and control) presented mostly with sulcus depth between 0 to 3, but the test group presented higher sextants percentage with pocket depth of more than 3 mm. The difference was statistically highly significant. 3- The controlled diabetic subgroups showed higher plaque index scores and gingival index scores but the pocket depth greater than 3 mm was higher in the non controlled diabetic subgroup. 4- While the control of diabetes has its effect on the periodontium there is no correlation with the duration or systemic complications of diabetes mellitus. From the results of this study it was concluded that diabetes mellitus affects the periodontal health of affected children in the presence of local etiological factors (plaque and calculus)