[Periodontal status in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus].

OBJECTIVE To evaluate periodontal condition of diabetic children and its related factors. METHODS The plaque index (PI), sites with bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment level (CAL) were evaluated in all occlusion permanent teeth of 168 non smoking type 1 diabetic children, 13 +/- 3.5 years old. The PI and BOP evaluations were also performed in deciduous teeth. RESULTS It was observed a prevalence of 20.8% of gingivitis and 5.9% of periodontitis. Those individuals with poor metabolic control had higher percentage of affected sites on PD (p = 0.004) and on CAL (p = 0.014). Patients having more than five years with diabetes mellitus type 1 showed higher percentual of affected sites on PD (p = 0.002), on BOP (p < 0.001) and on CAL (p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS DM1 duration and poor glycemic control were significantly associated with periodontal disturbances suggesting higher susceptibility of this population in developing DP.