What are the factors associated with the clinical response to nonsurgical periodontal therapy in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus?

This summary is based on the article published in the Journal of the American Dental Association: Factors associated with the clinical response to nonsurgical periodontal therapy in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (December 2014)

Bryan S. Michalowicz, Leslie Hyman, Wei Hou, Thomas W. Oates, Jr., Michael Reddy, David W., Engebretson Paquette, James A. Katancik and Steven P.

Context

• Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a growing health problem worldwide. People with T2DM are at risk of experiencing periodontitis and likely require treatment.
• Using data from the national multicenter Diabetes and Periodontal Therapy Trial (DPTT), the authors assessed patient-based characteristics associated with the clinical response to nonsurgical therapy.
• The report focuses on patient-level, and not tooth-level, factors that could be used by a clinician to assess a person’s likelihood of responding to treatment.

Main Findings

• In patients with T2DM, baseline disease severity was associated with the clinical response to nonsurgical periodontal therapy. Body mass index and Hispanic ethnicity—but not glycemic control, diabetes duration or smoking—also may be useful in predicting clinical changes in this population.
• These findings could help clinicians identify patients with T2DM who may or may not respond well to initial periodontal treatment.