Patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus

Patients without systemic diseases

Severe periodontitis was defined by the presence of ≥ 2 interproximal sites in different teeth with CAL (clinical attachment level) ≥ 6mm and ≥1 interproximal site with PPD (periodontal probing depth) ≥5mm. Moderate periodontitis was defined by the presence of ≥ 2 interproximal sites in different teeth with CAL ≥ 4mm or ≥ 2 interproximal sites in different teeth with PPD ≥5mm. Mild periodontitis was defined as ≥ 2 interproximal sites in different teeth with ≥ 3 mm CAL and ≥ 2 interproximal sites in different teeth with ≥ 4 mm PPD or at least 1 site with PPD ≥ 5 mm (20,21). Gingivitis was determined as follows: Subjects were considered healthy if presented PPD ≤3mm/BOP (bleeding on probing) extent scores < 10% and with gingivitis if presented PPD ≤3mm/ BOP extent scores >10%.

Normal Salivary pH = 6 to 7. Buffering capacity: ≥ 5.6 were considered as ''high'', ranging from 4.1 to 5.5 were labelled as ''medium'' and those ≤4 were defined as ''low''

Salivary glucose is measured by a colorimetric kit and the values are converted and presented as mg/dL. There are no reference value for this measurement. The analysis is done by means of correlation to blood glucose levels in mg/dL.

The activity of salivary peroxidase is presented in Units/mg. The detection of activity of these enzymes is associated to periodontal disease.

Plaque index (PI) will be registered as scores (1 for presence, 0 for absence). For control group a plaque index of 15% is considered normal.