The Relationship between Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Periodontal Health: A Case-Control Study

Introduction: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is carbohydrate intolerance of various degrees occurring or being observed during pregnancy for the first time. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship between periodontal health and GDM, which is one of the most important medical complications of pregnancy. Materials and methods: One hundred and sixty-five pregnant women, 80 healthy and 85 with gestational diabetes, between the ages of 18 and 30, with a mean age of 25.85 ± 2.96 were included in the study. It was first pregnancy of all individuals and none of them received periodontal treatment 6 months prior to the study. Clinical evaluations were made by using plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing pocket depth, bleeding on probing (BOP) index. Results: The results of our study revealed that, compared to healthy pregnant women, the values of body mass index, weight, GI and BOP were significantly higher for women with GDM.