OBJECTIVETo detect the salivary factors related to caries and periodontal disease and to analyze the risk of caries and periodontal disease in children and adolescents with diabetes mellitus.

METHODSThe study comprised 30 children with diabetic mellitus, aged 7-15 years old, and 60 healthy age-and gender-matched children. Caries and periodontal indexes were recorded and saliva related factors were analyzed.

RESULTSCaries indexes of diabetes children [permanent teeth: decay missing filling tooth (DMFT) M (Q1,Q3) = 0(0, 4), deciduous teeth: decay missing filling tooth (dmft) M (Q1,Q3) = 0(0, 1)] were not significantly different with those of healthy children [DMFT M (Q1,Q3) = 1(0, 3), dmft M (Q1,Q3) = 0(0, 4)], but plaque index (PLI) (1.25 ± 0.33) and bleeding index (BI) (0.74 ± 0.45) of diabetes children were significantly higher than those of healthy children (PLI was 0.93 ± 0.31,BI was 0.34 ± 0.22) (P < 0.001). Salivary pH of diabetes children (7.68 ± 0.36) was significantly higher than that of healthy children (7.30 ± 0.32) (P < 0.05), and salivary acid buffering capacity had no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). Salivary glucose, immunoglobulin sIgA and sIgG were not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05).Salivary lysozyme of diabetes children was significantly higher than that of healthy children (P < 0.05). Total protein was significantly lower in diabetes children than in healthy children (P < 0.05). Salivary lactate dehydrogenase had no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSDiabetes mellitus can lead to the changes of some salivary factors related to gingivitis in diabetes children. Children and adolescents with diabetes mellitus may have a higher risk of periodontal disease.