Alaka Subodh, Ganesh Shenoy Panchmal, Rekha P Shenoy, Praveen S Jodalli, Laxminarayan Sonde, Imran Pasha

ABSTRACT

Aim: To assess and compare the blood glucose level from gingival crevicular blood and tissue capillary blood in diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Methods: 35 diabetic and 35 non diabetic patients who had a community periodontal index score 4 and loss of attachment ? 1 and are 35 years of age or above were included in the study. Their blood glucose levels were assessed in a glucometer obtained from gingival crevicular blood during periodontal probing and from finger capillary method. Both the blood glucose levels were compared to assess the reliability of blood glucose level obtained from gingival crevicular blood. Data were analysed using paired t test and Pearson correlation. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the gingival crevicular blood and finger capillary method blood glucose values in diabetic (p=0.426) and non diabetic patients (p=0.245). Pearson correlation showed a positive correlation between the measurements in diabetic (Correlation Coefficient = 0.930) and non-diabetic patients (Correlation Coefficient = 0.932). Conclusions: This study showed that gingival crevicular blood collected during routine periodontal examination can be a reliable source of blood for glucometric analysis.