Oral Mucocutaneous Lesions in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional Study of Prevalence and Glycaemic Correlation

Dhivya Sarathi; Dr.M. Surenthar

doi:10.69980/redvet.v25i1S.2346

Dhivya Sarathi
Dr.M. Surenthar

DOI: https://doi.org/10.69980/redvet.v25i1S.2346

Keywords: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; Oral mucocutaneous lesions; Glycemic control; HbA1c; Oral health; Diabetes duration

Abstract

Background:
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is associated with a range of systemic complications, including notable effects on the oral mucosa. Oral mucocutaneous lesions, though common in diabetic individuals, are often underrecognized and underreported. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and types of oral lesions in T2DM patients and analyze their association with glycemic control and duration of diabetes.

Methods:
This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study conducted at Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Chennai, utilizing five years of patient data from the Dental Information Archival System (DIAS). A total of 1000 adult T2DM patients with documented oral examinations and HbA1c values were included. Lesions were classified as infectious, immune-mediated, diabetes-associated non-infective, or potentially malignant. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, Chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression to evaluate the relationship between oral lesions, glycemic control, and diabetes duration.

Results:
Oral mucocutaneous lesions were present in 68.2% of T2DM patients. Infectious lesions (43.2%) were most common, followed by diabetes-associated non-infective (35.6%) and immune-mediated lesions (21.4%). Patients with poor glycemic control (HbA1c ≥ 9%) had the highest lesion prevalence (87.8%), with a strong positive correlation observed between HbA1c levels and lesion prevalence (r = 0.995). Logistic regression revealed that each stepwise worsening in glycemic control increased the odds of lesion presence by 2.8 times (OR = 2.798, 95% CI: 2.289–3.420, p < 0.001). Duration of diabetes also showed a significant association with lesion prevalence (p < 0.001).

Conclusion:
Oral mucocutaneous lesions are highly prevalent among T2DM patients and strongly associated with poor glycemic control and longer disease duration. Routine oral screening should be integrated into diabetes management protocols to enable early detection, guide systemic evaluations, and improve overall patient outcomes through interdisciplinary care.

Author Biographies

Dhivya Sarathi

Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences

Saveetha University, Chennai-600 077, India.

Dr.M. Surenthar

Department of Oral Medicine, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai 602 105, India.

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