The influence of type 1 diabetes on the hard dental tissues and the development of caries (literature review)

Abstract

An electronic search for articles was conducted in PubMed, MEDLINE and Google Scholar, Scopus, Cochrane Library databases from January 2001 to August 2023 using keywords mentioned in the terms of diabetes impact on dental ca­ries, enamel, dentin, salivary glands, oral microbiome. A search ­using the keywords “dental caries” and “type 1 diabetes” was done in articles, systematic reviews and meta-analyses of English- and Ukrainian-language literary sources. The search for articles was focused on clear descriptions of the possible mechanisms of diabetes effect on the hard dental tissues. The analysis included articles with the results of clinical and experimental studies, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews written in English and Ukrainian according to the selected keywords; articles that explain the impact of diabetes on the hard dental tissues; articles that provide strong evidence of oral disease associated with type 1 diabetes. The article presents the results of the literary review of sources — clinical and experimental studies, meta-analyses and systematic analyzes regarding the impact of type 1 diabetes on the state of the hard dental tissues. The literature presents conflicting data on the prevalence of caries in children with type 1 diabetes compared to healthy children. Most research show that the level of metabolic control of diabetes and the age of children are associated with a high risk of developing caries. Data are presented on the potential risk of diabetes impact on the state of the hard dental tissues and possible mechanisms of developing caries. The authors consider disease-modifying risk factors such as impaired salivation, buffering capacity of saliva, changes in the oral microbiome, which lead to structural and biomechanical changes in the hard dental tissues. Modifiable risk factors such as eating habits, educational measures that directly affect the characteristics of individual hygiene, as well as regular professional control of the oral health, led to a decrease in the prevalence and severity of caries in children with type 1 diabetes. The conducted analysis indicates the need for further research to assess the health status of the oral cavity in children with type 1 diabetes.