[Report on experiences with a one-year action at the Gondar College of Medical Sciences in Ethiopia. 3. Influence of diabetes mellitus on the teeth supporting apparatus].

Systemic diseases--like diabetes mellitus--are able to injure the local and common resistance of an organism. Therefore we must expect a more intensive and severer progress of gingivitis and periodontitis in diabetic patients in comparison with a non-diabetic control-group. On the Gondar College of Medical Sciences in Northwest-Ethiopia are investigated 77 Insulin-obliged diabetics and 312 persons for control by means of the plaque-Index, the Oral-Hygiene-Index simplified. The DMF/T-Index and the Gingivitis-respectively Periodontal-Disease-Index for evaluation of the oral health situation. The comparison shows that the diabetic group has a moderate higher Plaque-pictures of gingivitis or periodontitis. This confirms our opinion that the diabetes mellitus is a risk-factor for the development of periodontal diseases. Therefore patients with diabetes mellitus should perform a very intensive care for mouth-hygiene.