[Periodontal status and diabetes: evaluation of 80 patients with diabetes mellitus in Conakry Teaching Hospital].

Introduction: Dental and periodontal diseases are frequent in diabetics. Few studies were carried out on oral pathologies of the diabetics in Africa. The objective of this study was to assess periodontal conditions in a population of diabetics followed in a hospital environment by comparing them with non diabetics.

Patients and method: In a cross-sectional study realized from January to April 1999, 80 diabetic patients followed in the Service of Endocrinology were compared to 35 non-diabetic patients, chosen among the patients attending in the Service of Internal medicine of the Donka Teaching Hospital in Conakry in the same period. Both groups were compared according to the simplified oral hygiene index (OHIS) and community periodontal index of treatment needs (CPITN).

Results: There was no difference between diabetics and nondiabetics according to the OHIS. Diabetics CPITN index was higher compared to non-diabetics (p = 0.019). In diabetics, scores of CPITN increase significantly with duration of diabetes mellitus (p = 0.019). Also correlation was found between OHIS and the duration of diabetes. Glycemic control was significantly correlated with OHIS (p < 0.001) and CIPTN (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Diabetic patients have more periodontal treatment need than controls. Better collaboration between diabetologist and odontostomatologist is needed to preserve the oral health of diabetics.