Periodontal Status and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

Background: Studies linking Periodontal Disease (PD) and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) are not in agreement. Our main objective is to evaluate the possible association between PD and GDM. Methods: 222 pregnant women participated, 111 with GDM, from Hospital La Fe de Valencia. Periodontal examination was performed, assessing the following parameters: number of teeth, plaque index, bleeding on probing, Pocket Probing Depth (PPD) and Clinical Attachment Level (CAL). Results: The GDM had a higher value of PPD (p = 0.001) and CAL (p = 0.013). 75.7% of the patients with GDM had gingival inflammation compared to 56.8% of the non-diabetic patients. Periodontitis was more prevalent in patients with GDM (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The results suggest that pregnant women with gestational diabetes associate more periodontal disease than those without such gestational disease. In our sample, the risk of GDM can be estimated from periodontitis, age and educational level. However, no relation of statistical significance has been found between a worse periodontal condition and the need of insulin in the treatment of GDM or having more adverse pregnancy outcomes in the GMD.