Sialometry, sialochemistry and oral manifestations in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients—a clinical and biochemical study

Diabetes mellitus, a complex metabolic disorder, is a syndrome characterised by abnormalities in carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism. Type 2 diabetes mellitus accounts for approximately 95 % of all cases of diabetes, and it usually affects people aged over 45 years. Without a proper diagnosis, these individuals are at significant risk for life-threatening and oral complications like xerostomia, increased incidence of caries, infection, poor healing and periodontal disease owing to structural modifications of salivary glands. Salivary diagnosis is an increasingly important field in dentistry, endocrinology, immunology and forensic medicine as a number of drugs, hormones and antibodies can be reliably monitored in saliva, which is an easily obtainable, noninvasive diagnostic medium and salivary composition may correspond to the systemic state of the patient rather than the oral health. Thus, this study was undertaken to determine the quantitative and qualitative changes of saliva in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and to correlate the oral manifestations with the salivary disturbances. The study consisted of two groups, one control and one study group, each with 50 subjects. Sialometry and sialochemistry of all salivary samples were carried out and oral manifestations recorded. The observations of the study were subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS software version 12. Sialometry showed a significantly lower salivary flow rate and higher occurrence of oral manifestations in the diabetics. From the clinical standpoint, it may be reasonable to conclude that sialometry and sialochemistry can be a useful indicator of progression of diabetes mellitus.