Dental Caries and Self-Reported Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract: ABSTRACT Patients with poorly controlled blood sugar levels and type 2 diabetes have been suggested to be at greater risk of tooth decay; however, the number of studies on this topic is scarce. This study aims to evaluate the association between self-reported diabetes, blood sugar levels, and dental caries in Swedish 40-year-old Swedes. Here we utilized the Gene Lifestyle Interactions in Dental Diseases (GLIDE) database, which provides access to self-reported diabetes, blood sugar levels, and the Decay, Missing, Filled Surfaces (DMFS) status in approximately 90,000 individuals. For this study, we identified 1,617 self-reported diabetes patients, and for each case, two sex- and age-matched controls were randomly selected (n = 3,234). Logistic and linear regression were employed, with appropriate adjustment for age, sex, and years between the dental caries examination and the reported diabetic diagnosis. Patients with self-reported type 2 diabetes displayed a 2.2 DMFS increase (p = 0.019). Additionally, increased blood sugar levels were associated with self-reported type (p < 0.001) and an increased DMFS score (p < 0.001). In conclusion, patients with self-reported type 2 diabetes and poorly controlled blood sugar are associated with an increased DMFS score in Sweden.