POTENTIAL ROLE OF CHROMIUM IN ORAL AND PERIODONTAL HEALTH IN CHILDREN WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES MELLITUS

Burculeț Raoul-Ciprian, Ciurcanu Oana Elena, Scutariu Mihaela Monica, Toma Vasilica, Fînariu Alexia-Ioana, Foia Cezar Ilie

ABSTRACT

Aim of the study: This study was designed to synthesize the available data on chromium status in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and to critically analyze the potential role of this trace element in oral and periodontal health.

Materials and methods: A structured search was conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases (from March 2025 to November 2025), using combinations of keywords such as “type 1 diabetes”, “children”, “periodontal”, “oral health”, “chromium”, “trace elements”, “saliva”, and “gingival crevicular fluid”. Clinical and observational studies on periodontal status in children and adolescents with T1DM were included, as well as studies evaluating trace elements (including chromium) and oxidative-stress markers in pediatric T1DM, ionomic analyses of saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) in periodontal disease, and review articles addressing the role of trace elements in oral biology. No clinical trials were identified in which chromium was administered to children with T1DM with assessment of periodontal parameters.

Results: In most case–control and cross-sectional studies, children and adolescents with T1DM show higher dental plaque index values, increased gingival indices, more frequent bleeding on probing and a greater number of sites with clinical attachment loss compared with non-diabetic controls, with odds ratios for periodontitis approaching 3 in some cohorts. Oxidative-stress markers and periodontal indices are significantly higher in pediatric T1DM patients than in healthy children. Disturbances of trace-element homeostasis—especially of magnesium, zinc and chromium—have been documented in this patient group and correlate with metabolic control and oxidative-stress level. Ionomic analyses of saliva and GCF reveal differences in macro- and microelement profiles, including chromium, between periodontal health and periodontal disease. Mechanistic data support the involvement of chromium in insulin signalling and modulation of oxidative stress; however, there is currently no direct clinical evidence that chromium supplementation improves oral or periodontal parameters in children with T1DM.

Conclusions: Current data support a possible, indirect and biologically plausible role of chromium within the complex network linking T1DM, oxidative stress and periodontal disease in children. At present, chromium should be regarded as a nutritional and metabolic co-factor rather than a specific therapeutic option for periodontal disease in children with T1DM. Prospective, well-controlled pediatric studies are needed to clarify whether optimization of chromium status can provide objective benefits for oral health.

DOI : 10.62610/RJOR.2025.4.17.3