Dental emergencies among diabetic patients at Angel Machaco Ameijeiras polyclinic, 2011-2012

Abstract

Introduction: the study of dental emergencies in diabetic patients leads to the development of preventive and therapeutic actions. Objective: describe the demographic and epidemiological behavior of dental emergencies among diabetic individuals based on the analysis of one-year records, and estimate the association between the five most common emergencies and the time of evolution of diabetes mellitus. Methods: a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the dental emergency department of Angel Machaco Ameijeiras polyclinic in Guanabacoa, Havana, Cuba, from December 2011 to December 2012. Of the 4 975 patients cared for, 396 were diabetic. The main variables analyzed were age, sex, dental emergency and time of evolution. Data were collected onto a dedicated model. Results were expressed through descriptive statigrams, and relative risk was estimated to identify the association. An association was assumed to exist when the value obtained was greater than 1 with a confidence interval of 95 % (p< 0.05) not including the unity. Results: of the patients studied, 52.02 % were female and 52.02 % were aged 60 or over. The emergencies recorded were acute dentoalveolar abscess (27.27 %), acute irreversible pulpitis (21.71 %), alveolitis (15.65 %), transitory pulpitis (9.34 %) and periodontal abscess (5.30 %). In transitory pulpitis, risk was found to be very low (RR= 0.50). Conclusions: dental emergencies predominated in the female gender and the 60 and over age group. The most frequent were acute dentoalveolar abscess, acute irreversible pulpitis, alveolitis, transitory pulpitis and periodontal abscess. Time of evolution of diabetes mellitus may be involved as the cause of acute dentoalveolar abscess, acute irreversible pulpitis, alveolitis and periodontal abscess.

Keywords

• urgencias estomatológicas
• diabetes mellitus
• absceso dentoalveolar agudo.