Background: Poorly controlled diabetes increases the risk of periodontitis. The link between
diabetes and periodontal disease is increasingly recognized and that diabetics are
more susceptible to periodontal disease. Material and methods: Cultures of sub-gingival plaque from 62 subjects suffering from aggressive periodontitis
(37 patients with diabetes and 25 control cases) and 136 patients with chronic periodontitis
(92 with diabetes and 44 control cases) were done on selective and nonselective media.
The bacterial isolates were identified by conventional biochemical tests. Results: In aggressive periodontitis, Actinomyces israelii was present in patients with diabetes
only while Actinomyces naeslundii was positive in the control group only. The rates
of Eubacterium nodatum, Capnocytophaga spp, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, and Eikenella
corrodens. Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans were remarkably present in diabetic
patients. Culture of Prevotella intermedia, Eubacterium spp and Campylobacter spp
were more remarkable in control patients with aggressive periodontitis. On the other
hand, in chronic periodontitis, Eikenella corrodens, Aggregatibacter aphrophilus,
and Eubacterium were more noticeable in patients with diabetes. Conclusions: Periodontal pathogens are distinctly different in patients with diabetes from those
without diabetes. The differences are evident in both aggressive and chronic periodontitis.
These different microbiological characteristics are relevant in both dental and general
medical practices.
Key-words:
Aggressive periodontitis - chronic periodontitis - diabetes - periodontal pathogen
- sub-gingival.
