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Meta-Analysis
. 2022 Feb;20(1):145-166.
doi: 10.1111/idh.12512. Epub 2021 Aug 24.

The risk of tooth loss in patients with diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Lotte P M Weijdijk  1   2   3 , Laura Ziukaite  3 , G A Fridus Van der Weijden  3 , Eric W P Bakker  4 , Dagmar Else Slot  3
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

The risk of tooth loss in patients with diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Lotte P M Weijdijk et al. Int J Dent Hyg. 2022 Feb.

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this systematic review was to comprehensively and critically summarize and synthesize the risk of losing teeth among with diabetes mellitus (DM) compared to those without DM, as established in observational studies.

Materials and methods: MEDLINE-PubMed and Cochrane databases were searched through a period from their inception through October 2020 to identify eligible studies. Papers that primarily evaluate the number of teeth in DM patients compared to non-DM individuals were included. A descriptive analysis of the selected studies was conducted, and when feasible, a meta-analysis was performed. The quality of the studies was assessed.

Results: A total of 1087 references were generated, and screening of the papers resulted in 10 eligible publications. A descriptive analysis demonstrated that six of these studies indicate a significantly higher risk of tooth loss in DM patients. This was confirmed by the meta-analysis risk ratio of 1.63 95% CI (1.33; 2.00, p < 0.00001). Subgroup analysis illustrates that this is irrespective of the risk-of-bias assessment. The higher risk of tooth loss in DM patients was also higher when only DM type II patients or studies with a cross-sectional design were considered. Patients with a poor DM control status presented a significantly increased risk of tooth loss. When the data were separated by the world continent where the study was performed, Asia and South America had numerically higher risks and a 95% CI that did not overlap with Europe and North America.

Conclusion: There is moderate certainty for a small but significantly higher risk of tooth loss in DM patients as compared to those without DM.

Keywords: diabetes mellitus; number of teeth; oral health; risk ratio; systematic review; tooth loss.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

This paper was prepared as part of the obligation of the first author to fulfil the requirements of the University of Amsterdam Academic Medical Centre (UvA/AMC) Master's programme in Evidence‐Based Practice in Health Care.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Search and selection results
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
(2.1) Meta‐analysis evaluating the effect of DM compared to non‐DM on tooth loss using a random model: overall and evaluable number of teeth, 28/32 teeth. (2.2) Meta‐analysis evaluating the effect of DM compared to non‐DM on tooth loss using a fixed model: overall and evaluable number of teeth, 28/32 teeth
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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