Introduction

Periodontal disease diagnosis traditionally relies on clinical parameters; however, inflammatory biomarkers have been proposed as objective adjunctive diagnostic tools. Aim of the study was to evaluate the levels of salivary interleukin (IL)-18, IL-17A, and IL-1β in periodontitis patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Material and methods

This cross-sectional study included 80 patients with periodontitis (40 with T2DM and 40 without). Clinical periodontal parameters, glycated haemoglobin (HbA_1c) levels, and salivary biomarkers IL-17A, IL-18, and IL-1β were assessed. Levels of salivary cytokines were quantified using ELISA, and statistical comparisons between groups were conducted utilising Student’s t-test and the Mann-Whitney U test.

Results

The diabetic group showed a significantly higher mean age (56.7 ± 14.1 years) compared to the non-diabetic group (40.1 ± 12.2 years, p < 0.001). Grade classification differed significantly between groups (p < 0.001), with 65% of diabetics in Grade B vs. 60% of non-diabetics in Grade A. Within the diabetic group, salivary IL-1β levels varied significantly across periodontal grades (p = 0.046), with lower levels observed in Grade C compared with Grades A and B.

Conclusions

In this cross-sectional analysis, salivary IL-1β demonstrated a significant association with perio­dontal disease grading in patients with T2DM. These exploratory findings suggest a potential role for IL-1β as a diabetes-associated periodontal biomarker; however, confirmation in larger, longitudinal studies is required.