Background: It is generally accepted that diabetes increases the prevalence and severity of periodontitis, and is now considered the sixth "-opathy" of diabetes. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of periodontal disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and assess their severity in a single center in Basrah, Iraq.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional, case-control study. A total of 1593 patients were included (633 diabetic patients and 960 nondiabetics as controls). Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who were dentate persons aged 40 years and older and with = 6 remaining teeth were studied.
Results: Periodontal disease was seen in 95.9% of both diabetics and controls. Concerning mild and advanced disease, there was no difference between diabetics and controls, whereas moderate disease was more prevalent in those with diabetes.
Conclusion: Of both the diabetics and controls, periodontal disease was seen in 95.9%. Moderate disease was significantly more common among diabetics. Larger studies, with pocket depth--attachment loss with radiologic evaluation for bone loss--are needed to assess the prevalence of periodontal disease among diabetics, other systemic disease, and the general population.