Periodontal Treatment Experience Associated with Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Poor Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes: A Case-Control Study

Severe periodontitis is a risk factor for poor glycemic control. The appropriate medical treatment and plaque control of periodontitis positively affects blood-sugar control in diabetes patients. We aimed to identify the factors associated with glycemic control and examine the periodontal treatment (PT) experience and oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL) for patients with poor glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This multicenter case-control study recruited 242 patients with poor glycemic control and 198 patients with good glycemic control. We collected patients' information through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. The Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) was used to measure OHQoL. Based on PT status, the patients were classified into three groups: a non-periodontal disease group, a PT group, and a non-PT (NPT) group. Regression models were used to analyze the data. No interdental cleaning (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.78) and positive attitudes toward periodontal health (aOR = 1.11) were significantly more likely to be associated with poor glycemic control in patients with T2DM. The PT group had a significantly lower OHIP-14 score than the NPT group (6.05 vs. 9.02, p < 0.001), indicating a better OHQoL among patients with poorly controlled T2DM. However, the OHQoL did not differ significantly in patients with well-controlled T2DM between the PT and NPT groups. This suggested that diabetic patients with poor glycemic control must improve periodontal care practices and receive proper PT, if necessary, to improve their OHQoL.