Periodontal disease and diabetes.

Diabetes is considered to be a genetically and environmentally based chronic metabolic and vascular syndrome caused by a partial or total insulin deficiency with alteration in the metabolism of lipids, carbohydrates and proteins culminating with different manifestations in different organisms. In humans hyperglycemia is the main consequence of defects in the secretion and/or action of insulin, and its deregulation can produce secondary lesions in various organs, especially kidneys, eyes, nerves, blood vessels and immune systems. Periodontal disease is an entity of localized infection that involves tooth-supporting tissues. The first clinical manifestation of periodontal disease is the appearance of periodontal pockets, which offer a favorable niche for bacterial colonization. The etiology of periodontal disease is multifactorial, being caused by interactions between multiple micro-organisms (necessary but not sufficient primary etiologic factors), a host with some degree of susceptibility and environmental factors. According to current scientific evidence, there is a symbiotic relationship between diabetes and periodontitis, such that diabetes is associated with an increased incidence and progression of periodontitis, and periodontal infection is associated with poor glycaemic control in diabetes due to poor immune systems. Hence, for a good periodontal control it is necessary to treat both periodontal disease and glycaemic control.