Why carry out this study?

Patients with diabetes have a two- to threefold higher risk for developing chronic periodontitis.

Periodontitis causes systematic inflammation which in turn may have an adverse effect on the glycemic control of patients with diabetes.

We hypothesize that periodontal treatment may contribute to the suppression of systemic inflammation and have a hypoglycemic effect in patients with diabetes.

What was learned from the study?

Our analysis reveals a significant benefit of periodontal treatment on glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and periodontitis.

The clinical benefit was mainly found in studies with a high baseline glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level; studies that included patients with good glycemic control at baseline seemed not to benefit from the periodontal treatment.

Patients suffering from T2DM should self-check their own oral hygiene and periodontal status and receive routine periodontal therapy at least once a year, especially patients with poor glycemic control.

Future randomized controlled studies on this topic should investigate where the threshold of baseline HbA1c lies that maximizes the benefits of periodontal therapy on glycemic control.