Evaluation of Salivary Components and Dental Plaque in Relation to Dental Caries Status in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the dental caries prevalence in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) as compared to healthy children and, to assess the salivary components (flow rate, glucose, α-Amylase, Streptococcus mutans) and dental plaque in relation to their dental caries status. Methods: Dental caries were estimated by using the DMFS index and dental plaque by Sillness and Loe plaque index. The following methods were used to assess the salivary components; draining method to determine the flow rate; glucose oxidase peroxidase method for glucose; substrate method for α-Amylase, Mitis Salivarius Bacitracin agar was used to culture Streptococcus mutans. Results: Caries prevalence was significantly lower in T1DM. In the diabetic group, a significant positive correlation was found between DMFS value and plaque, DMFS value and salivary glucose, and also with DMFS value and salivary α-Amylase. A significant negative correlation was found between the DMFS value and the unstimulated salivary flow rate. The multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that decrease in the unstimulated salivary flow rate to be significantly associated with increasing DMFS values. Conclusion: The caries prevalence was found to be low in T1DM when compared to the healthy children, the cause for it being related to the low plaque scores. Low caries prevalence could also be due to the restriction of sucrose in their diet. Clinical significance: As clinicians, along with restoring the smiles of a child patient, we have to retrospectively analyze the factors involved in the causation of dental caries. Educating the parents and the child in regard to this will help prevent the occurrence of any new carious lesion.