619-P: Oral Hygiene Practices Linked to Dietary Fiber and Essential Nutrients Intake and Glycemic Management in Type 2 Diabetes

Introduction & Objective: In type 2 diabetes (T2D), dietary therapy focusing on high-fiber foods is recommended for better glycemic management. However, oral health issues like tooth loss disturb essential nutrient intake. This study investigates the relationship between oral hygiene, dietary intake, inflammation and glycemic markers in T2D.

Methods: The study involved 104 T2D outpatients with ≥15 natural teeth. We analyzed the association of questionnaire-based oral hygiene practices, tooth count (TC), nutrient intake (BDHQ) with clinical information (age, HbA1c, fasting glucose, TIR, BMI, insulin, HOMA-IR, UACR) and inflammation.

Results: Age 62.5 ± 9.7 years, 42% female, HbA1c 7.3 ± 0.7%, BMI 24.8 ± 4.6, number of teeth 25.0 ± 3.6, total dietary fiber 12.4 ± 6.0 g/day. TC positively correlated with green leafy vegetables, carrots/pumpkins, and carotenes intake. Participants with ≥24 teeth had higher fiber intake than those with fewer teeth. TC negatively correlated with age, and positively with dental visits, inversely with BMI, HbA1c, and fasting glucose. Tooth brushing frequency negatively correlated with male gender, BMI, UACR, hsCRP, and TNF-α. Frequent interdental cleaning correlated positively with TIR and negatively with male gender, BMI, insulin, HOMA-IR, hsCRP, IL-6, and TNF-α. Groups with frequent interdental cleaning or ≥20 teeth had lower CGM averages and higher TIR. Logistic regression showed interdental cleaning as significant for TIR <70%, independent of inflammation.

Conclusion: Reduced oral health in T2D is linked to insufficient dietary fiber intake. Interdental cleaning habits significantly impact glycemic variability and inflammation, suggesting the importance of oral hygiene in glycemic management.