Investigating salivary growth factor responses to tooth extraction in patients with type 2 diabetes: a prospective observational comparative study

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate salivary growth factor levels in controlled type 2 diabetic patients compared to healthy individuals, assessed at two time points: before tooth extraction and two days postoperatively. Materials and methods The study included 27 participants: 20 with type 2 diabetes (74.07%) and 7 healthy controls (25.93%). Unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected before tooth extraction and two days afterward. Biomarker analysis was performed using a Luminex multiplex assay, targeting epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-α), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), platelet-derived growth factor-AB (PDGF-AB), platelet-derived growth factor-CC (PDGF-CC), and platelet-derived growth factor-DD (PDGF-DD). Results EGF levels showed no significant differences between groups at baseline ( p = 0.333) or post-extraction ( p = 0.571); however, two days after extraction, EGF levels almost remained steady in diabetics but decreased in controls. TGF-α was not significantly different between diabetics and control groups at baseline and two days post-extraction ( p = 0.088; p = 0.915, respectively), with levels increasing in diabetics and decreasing in controls two days after extraction. FGF levels showed no significant differences at baseline ( p = 0.064) or post-extraction ( p = 0.677), from baseline to second post-extraction day, the levels were increasing in diabetics and decreasing in controls. Between baseline and the second day post-extraction, the levels of PDGF-DD, PDGF-CC, and PDGF-AB decreased in both groups, except for PDGF-AB in the control group, where a slight increase was observed. No significant differences were found between the diabetic and control groups for PDGF-DD, PDGF-CC, or PDGF-AB at baseline ( p = 0.810, p = 0.382, p = 0.881) or two days post-extraction ( p = 0.860, p = 0.414, p = 0.740), respectively. Conclusions Salivary growth factors are reduced and respond differently in type 2 diabetes, potentially contributing to impaired oral wound healing. Supplementing growth factors may improve clinical outcomes, warranting further investigation.