Effect of Nurse-Led Oral Health Coaching on Periodontal Health and Glycemic Control among Adults with Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and periodontal disease are bidirectionally related, but oral health promotion is rarely integrated into diabetes care. This study evaluated the effect of oral health coaching on periodontal health and glycemic control among adults with T2DM. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest controlled study was conducted among 500 adults with T2DM, with 250 participants in the intervention group and 250 in the control group. The intervention group received structured oral health coaching plus routine care, while the control group received routine care only. Outcomes included oral health knowledge, oral hygiene behaviors, periodontal indices, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) at baseline and follow-up. At follow-up, the intervention group showed significantly greater improvements in plaque index (0.44 vs. 0.18), gingival index (0.38 vs. 0.14), bleeding on probing (7.47% vs. 2.86%), pocket depth (0.54 mm vs. 0.16 mm), clinical attachment loss (0.20 mm vs. 0.06 mm), and HbA1c (0.53% vs. 0.17%) than the control group (all p < 0.001). Most intervention participants reported better understanding (93.2%), brushing behavior (80.0%), and interdental cleaning (77.2%). Oral health coaching significantly improved periodontal and metabolic outcomes, supporting its integration into routine diabetes care.