Effects of the Oral Health Promotion Program on oral health and oral microbiota in elderly diabetic patients: A quasi-experimental study

Background Diabetes, which is highly prevalent, has become a major contributor to the burden of health care costs worldwide. Recent unequivocal evidence has revealed a bidirectional link between oral health and diabetes. In this study, the effects of the Oral Health Promotion Program (OHPP) on oral hygiene, oral health-related quality of life and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were examined. At the same time, microbial changes in the saliva microbiota community were also investigated. Methods A quasi-experiment was conducted in regionally representative communities to assess participants’ oral health and oral microbiota. The participants in the intervention group (n = 26) received OHPP during the program, when those in the control group (n = 26) received routine oral care. Clinical parameters were recorded at two different time points: before the study (T0), and 3 months after intervention onset (T1). Oral health was measured via the oral health impact profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire, dental plaque index, HbA1c and mastery of oral health knowledge, and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene from saliva samples was used to analyze the oral microbiota. Results The average age of the final sample was 71.77 years (SD = 6.06), 53.8% (28/52) of whom were male. A reduction in the plaque index and improvements in oral health-related quality of life and mastery of oral health knowledge were observed in the intervention group, and the richness and diversity of the microbiota increased. The relative abundance of Streptococcus decreased significantly in both groups. There was no statistically significant difference in the HbA1c level between two groups. Conclusions OHPP superiorly contributes to the improvement of oral health and oral microbiota in elderly diabetic patients. The overarching goal is to introduce attention to the importance of good oral health as a crucial point in preventing and managing diabetes mellitus and thereby contribute to the wellbeing and quality of life in people with diabetes. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Register number ChiCTR2200064453.