Gum Disease Evident in Diabetic Children

Young children with diabetes may have to worry aboutperiodontal disease. Gum inflammation and loosening ofteeth can happen early on, and these periodontal conditionscan become more prominent in adolescence, reportedresearchers in Diabetes Care (February 2006). The studyincluded 182 children with diabetes between ages 6 and 18and 160 children without diabetes.

The researchers found that children with diabetes hadsubstantially more dental plaque and increased gingivalinflammation levels, compared with the control group.Furthermore, the patients with diabetes had more teeththat indicated evidence of attachment loss—5.8 teeth onaverage, compared with 1.5 in the children without diabetes.The researchers noted that diabetes was stronglyrelated to periodontitis after taking into account many othervariables. This was especially evident in 12-to 18-year-olds.