Impact of periodontal health on the Quality of Life among Diabetics

Introduction: Diabetes Mellitus is a major public health problem worldwide. Diabetes Mellitus with its concomitant oral manifestations especially in the form of periodontal disease not only affects people physically but also has emotional and psycho-social consequences. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the impact of periodontal health on the quality of life among diabetics. Materials & Method: The study was a cross sectional type using a questionnaire, the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) on 115 diabetics in Mangalore. An oral health examination was subsequently carried out using the Community Periodontal Index (CPI) and Loss of attachment to determine the periodontal status. Data analysis: Data was analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 11. The Pearson Correlation test was used to determine the presence or absence of any correlation. Results: The CPI and loss of attachment was scored for the 95 dentate individuals. Only 9 subjects had a completely healthy periodontium. The CPI scores showed a positive correlation with the oral health impact score and the impact of oral health on the quality of life was high with at least 10 of the 14 items showing a statistical significant impact. Conclusion: This study demonstrates a significant impact of periodontal health on the quality of life among diabetics.