INITIAL STUDY OF PERIODONTAL STATUS IN NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETICS IN MAURITIUS

Objectives: Investigation of Mauritian non-insulin diabetic periodonta l health. Methods: In Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, 24 patient s with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus were matched by age wit h 24 controls. Because matching was incomplete for gender and race, th e groups were treated as independent for data analysis. Operator-blind scores were recorded for the presence of plaque, bleeding on probing, probing depth, recession and probing attachment level. Results: When variations in plaque and age were taken into account, there was a sign ificant difference in probing attachment level between the groups (dia betic mean = 4.16 mm, control mean = 3.09 mm), and an effect of gender on gingival bleeding which may relate to tobacco smoking. Conclusion: In an isolated community with a 13% prevalence of NIDDM, this study c onfirms previous periodontal findings regarding the effect of the dise ase.