Receive gum disease treatment to see if it helps kidney health

Back to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus MeSH:D003924 trials

What is this trial?

This trial is testing whether non-surgical periodontal therapy—a deep cleaning procedure that removes buildup from teeth and gums—can help protect kidney function in people with type 2 diabetes. Researchers believe that chronic gum disease may trigger inflammation throughout the body that harms the kidneys. This study will measure whether treating the gum disease reduces kidney damage markers in the blood.

People with poorly controlled diabetes often develop gum disease, and gum disease may make diabetes harder to control. More importantly, this chronic inflammation from gum disease may damage the kidneys—a serious complication called diabetic kidney disease. There is limited evidence about whether treating gum disease can actually slow or prevent kidney damage in diabetic patients.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are between 30 and 65 years old
you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for at least one year and your blood sugar is not well controlled (HbA1c of 7% or higher)
you have moderate to severe gum disease confirmed by a dental exam
your kidneys are still functioning reasonably well (eGFR of 60 or higher)
you are able and willing to give written informed consent and complete follow-up visits

You likely don't qualify if…

you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or using hormone replacement therapy or birth control pills in the past six months
you are taking steroid drugs, NSAIDs, or anti-inflammatory medications in the past three months (except low-dose aspirin)
you have used antibiotics in the past month or had recent serious bleeding, trauma, or stomach bleeding
you use tobacco or alcohol regularly, or have had a fever or vomiting lasting more than a week recently
you have other serious chronic health conditions that could affect the study results

What participation looks like

If you join this study, you will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive a professional deep cleaning of the teeth and gums (scaling and root planing) in a single session, plus instructions on how to brush properly at home. The other group will receive only the home care instructions at first, and the deep cleaning later after the study ends. Both groups will have blood tests at the start and after 90 days to measure kidney function markers like creatinine and urea levels.

Can treating gum disease help protect kidneys in diabetes patients?

What is this trial?

Do you qualify?

What participation looks like

Trial locations(1 site)