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April 28, 2022
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Type 2 diabetes increases risk for tooth loss

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Data from cross-sectional studies have found an association between type 2 diabetes and an increased risk for tooth loss.

The findings were published in BMC Endocrine Disorders.

Photo of patient smiling with teeth
Source: Adobe Stock

According to study background, several studies have evaluated the relationship between type 2 diabetes and tooth loss, but results have been inconsistent, leading Amir Reza Ahmadinia, dean of the faculty of dentistry at Golestan University of Medical Sciences in Gorgan, Iran, and colleagues to conduct the present systematic review and meta‐analysis of observational studies.

For the analysis, Ahmadinia and colleagues sought relevant studies in international databases — including Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar search engine — until February 2022.

In all, 22 studies involving 677,532 participants were included. Results indicated that type 2 diabetes elevated the risk for tooth loss, with an unadjusted OR of 1.87 (95% CI, 1.62-2.13; P < .001) and an adjusted OR of 1.2 (95% CI, 1.1-1.3; P < .001).

In a subgroup analysis based on study design for adjusted OR, researchers found a significant association between type 2 diabetes and tooth loss in the cohort study (OR = 1.29; 95% CI, 1.07-1.51), the cross‐sectional study (OR = 1.15; 95% CI, 1.06-1.23) and the case‐control study (OR = 5.1; 95% CI, 1.01-9.18).

“In addition, this association was also present in other subgroups, including ... method of diagnosing type 2 diabetes, continent, study quality and number of tooth loss,” the researchers noted. “This event seems to be in line with what has been reported in other epidemiologic studies, as several cases have supported the link between diabetes, periodontal disease and tooth decay. These are two common reasons for the endpoint of the tooth loss parameter.”

Furthermore, researchers confirmed no publication bias existed.

“The results of our study showed a positive association between type 2 diabetes and tooth loss in cross-sectional studies,” Ahmadinia and colleagues concluded, adding that “undoubtedly, large-scale prospective studies are needed to validate the current results in the future.”