Periodontal Therapy Helps Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
This entry was posted on 10/1/2006 5:45 PM and is filed under Research.
Science Daily — Patients with Type 2 diabetes and periodontal disease who receive periodontal therapy see levels of oxidative stress, a condition in which antioxidant levels are lower than normal, reduced to the same levels as nondiabetic patients, according to a new study that appeared in the November issue of the Journal of Periodontology (JOP).
Researchers from Kyushu Dental College in Kitakyushu, Japan investigated the impact of periodontal therapy on patients with Type 2 diabetes, as compared to nondiabetic patients. They found that periodontal therapy decreased lipid peroxide (LPO), an oxidative stress index, in diabetic patients.
It has been found that diabetes and periodontal disease can lead to atherosclerosis, which occurs when deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, and other substances build up in the inner lining of an artery. This buildup is called plaque. It has been thought that oxidative stress is linked to heart disease because oxidation of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) in the endothelium is a precursor to plaque formation. Recently, oxidative stress has emerged as an important factor for atherosclerosis in patients with diabetes.
