Effect of periodontal therapy on glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes

Abstract Aim This study aimed to elucidate the impact of periodontal therapy on glycaemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes and various baseline blood glucose levels using a large‐scale claims database from Japan. Materials and Methods Using the JMDC Claims Database, we identified individuals with type 2 diabetes who underwent health check‐ups in the fiscal years 2018 or 2019 and were followed up until the next year's health check‐up. We conducted a weighted cohort analysis using stabilized inverse probability weights for treatment and censoring to estimate the effect of periodontal therapy on changes in haemoglobin A1c levels within a year. Analysis was done for different baseline haemoglobin A1c categories: 6.5%–6.9%, 7.0%–7.9% and ≥8.0%. Results Of the 4279 insured persons included in the study, 957 received periodontal therapy. Overall, there was a tendency towards improved glycaemic control among those who received periodontal therapy. Participants with baseline haemoglobin A1c levels of 7.0%–7.9% who received periodontal therapy exhibited significantly better glycaemic control compared with those without dental visits (difference; −0.094 [95% confidence interval: −0.181 to −0.007]). Conclusions Periodontal therapy may improve glycaemic control in individuals with diabetes, especially in those with haemoglobin A1c levels ≥7.0%.