Research Article
Doina Lucia Ghergic, Claudi
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus is identified as risk factor for periodontal disease. Personal and professional plaque control is the most important factor for prevention and treatment of periodontal disease. The aim of this study is to evaluate the importance of awareness of oral hygiene habits by filling in a questionnaire, in contrast with the assessment of periodontal status by recording of Community Periodontal Index (CPI) in a group of 50 adults with type I diabetes mellitus (formerly known as insulin-dependent). The results reveal deficiencies in oral health behavior (no one uses instruments for interdental cleaning) and high scores of CPI (code 0 = 0%, code 1 = 0%, code 2 = 24%, code 3 = 44%, code 4 = 32%). The majority of subjects (80%) did not receive information about dental care and oral diseases and no one received information about the influence of gum disease and diabetes. This study proves the need of promoting oral health in this risk group.