Antioxidant add-ons showed mixed results in people with diabetes and gum disease
Small trials reported improvements in selected gum measurements and blood-sugar markers, especially with melatonin and propolis, but results varied across antioxidants and evidence certainty was uneven.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
In people with diabetes and periodontitis, some antioxidant add-ons were associated with better gum measurements and blood-sugar marker results. Melatonin and propolis had favorable reported findings, while other antioxidants showed smaller or minimal effects. Small samples and variation between studies limit confidence, and these findings do not establish that supplementation prevents tooth loss or diabetes complications.
This abstract-based account lacks follow-up periods and detailed control treatments. The methods describe mean differences, while results use standardized mean differences, leaving uncertainty about the reported effect scale.
What was measured
The review examined antioxidants alongside nonsurgical gum treatment in people with both conditions. Its periodontal outcomes included clinical attachment level and probing depth, and it also assessed HbA1c; these measurements do not directly establish effects on complications.
Uneven evidence
The authors rated evidence for attachment level and HbA1c as moderately certain, with lower certainty for probing depth and gum inflammation. Separate results for different antioxidants do not establish a reliable ranking between them.
The original publication
The Impact of Antioxidant Adjuncts on Periodontal Health in Type 2 Diabetes Patients: A Meta-Analysis.
Abdulla SA, Abdalla BA, Muhammed AA et al.
Clin Exp Dent Res · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 41158097
- Record checked
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