Diabetes and Periodontitis: Mechanisms, Biomarkers, Therapeutic Targets, and Preventive Strategies

Diabetes mellitus and periodontitis are highly prevalent chronic diseases that share a complex, bidirectional relationship mediated by endocrine, metabolic, immunological, and inflammatory pathways. Hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and advanced glycation end-product accumulation increase susceptibility to periodontal tissue destruction through oxidative stress, immune dysregulation, and altered host–microbial interactions. Conversely, periodontitis can exacerbate systemic inflammation, impair glycemic control, and contribute to the development and progression of diabetic complications. Recent advances have highlighted the roles of immune dysregulation, oxidative stress, microbiome-host interactions, and emerging biomarkers in linking these conditions. In particular, salivary, serum, gingival crevicular fluid, and microbiome-derived biomarkers are showing promise for improving disease diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring, reinforcing the importance of oral health as a component of endocrine and metabolic health. This Research Topic aims to advance understanding of the mechanistic, diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive aspects of the diabetes–periodontitis relationship. Despite growing evidence supporting the diabetes–periodontitis axis, important questions remain regarding the pathways driving disease progression, the clinical utility of emerging biomarkers, the contribution of host–microbiome interactions, and the long-term impact of periodontal interventions on metabolic outcomes. Recent advances in multi-omics technologies, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, metagenomics, and microbiome profiling, are providing new opportunities for biomarker discovery, disease stratification, and therapeutic monitoring. Furthermore, artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches are increasingly being applied to biomarker identification, risk prediction, disease classification, and preventive strategies, supporting the development of precision medicine and personalized healthcare models for improving both periodontal and metabolic outcomes. By integrating basic, translational, clinical, computational, and population-based research, this collection seeks to address these knowledge gaps and identify novel biomarkers, therapeutic targets, and intervention strategies that can improve both periodontal and metabolic health. We welcome contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes: • Molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the bidirectional relationship between diabetes and periodontitis • Endocrine, metabolic, inflammatory, and immune pathways linking hyperglycemia and periodontal disease • Immune dysregulation, oxidative stress, microbiome-host interactions, and epigenetic regulation in diabetes-associated periodontitis • Salivary, serum, gingival crevicular fluid, and microbiome-derived biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and disease monitoring • Multi-omics approaches, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, metagenomics, and microbiome profiling, for biomarker discovery, disease stratification, and therapeutic monitoring • Artificial intelligence and machine learning applications for biomarker identification, risk prediction, disease classification, diagnosis, and preventive strategies • Effects of periodontal therapy on glycemic control and diabetic complications • Digital health technologies, wearable devices, and remote monitoring approaches for integrated diabetes and periodontal care • Precision medicine and personalized healthcare models for improving periodontal and metabolic health outcomes • Novel therapeutic targets and translational strategies for integrated diabetes and periodontal disease management Topic editors: Keiko Naruse, Girish Suragimath, Sameer Zope Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84558/diabetes-and-periodontitis-mechanisms-biomarkers-therapeutic-targets-and-preventive-strategies