Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of non-surgical periodontal treatment on hemoglobinA1c (HbA1c) levels, oxidative stress balance and quality of life (QOL) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) compared to no periodontal treatment (simple oral hygiene instructions only).
Methods: The design was a 6-month, single-masked, single center, randomized clinical trial. Patients had both T2DM and chronic periodontitis. Forty participants were enrolled between April 2014 and March 2016 at the Nephrology, Diabetology and Endocrinology Department of Okayama University Hospital. The periodontal treatment group (n = 20) received non-surgical periodontal therapy, including scaling and root planing plus oral hygiene instructions, and consecutive supportive periodontal therapy at 3 and 6 months. The control group (n = 17) received only oral hygiene instructions without treatment during the experimental period. The primary study outcome was the change in HbA1c levels from baseline to 3 months. Secondary outcomes included changes in oxidative stress balance (Oxidative-INDEX), the Diabetes Therapy-Related QOL and clinical periodontal parameters from baseline to 3 months and baseline to 6 months.
Results: Changes in HbA1c in the periodontal treatment group were not significantly different with those in the control group at 3 and 6 months. Systemic oxidative stress balance and QOL significantly improved in the periodontal treatment group compared to the control group at 3 months. In the subgroup analysis (moderately poor control of diabetes), the decrease in HbA1c levels in the periodontal treatment group was greater than that in the control group at 3 months but not significant.
Conclusions: In T2DM patients, non-surgical periodontal treatment improved systemic oxidative stress balance and QOL, but did not decrease HbA1c levels at 3 months follow-up.
Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials UMIN-ICDR UMIN 000013278 (Registered April 1, 2014).