Caries experience and gingival health in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus—A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the oral health of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and its associations with diabetes-related and lifestyle factors. Design: Cross-sectional study at a large tertiary hospital pediatric diabetes clinic. Oral examination determined dental caries experience and gingival health. Secondary outcome measures included salivary characteristics, oral hygiene and dietary practices, and diabetes-related factors. Results: Eighty children and adolescents with T1D participated; mean (SD) age and HbA1c were 13.4(2.6) years and 7.7(0.9)%, respectively. Forty-seven (59%) participants had one or more decayed, missing or filled teeth; 75 (94%) participants had gingivitis..