RESUMEN
120 diabetic and prediabetic gingivae were studied histopathological and histochemically and compared with non-diabetic gingivae, PAS + ve substance was deposited in the epithelial cells and the vascular wall [subendothelially] leading to narrowing and even occlusion of vascular lumen in severe diabetic cases [uncontrolled late onset diabetic] a mirror of the micro-angiopathy occuring in diabetes. Succinic dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase activities showed increase in the epithelial cells and lamina propria cells. The increase in the first enzyme might be due to the abnormal C.H.O. metabolism in diabetes; but the increase in the latter was due to the increased phagocytic function of these cells accompanying the degenerative process in the cell and also as a reaction to the inflammatory processes usually accompanying this disease. The decrease in alkaline phosphatase activity in the capillary endothelial cells might be due to disturbed active ion-transport function of these cells, a condition which usually accompany microangiopathy. From this research it was found that by gingival biopsy one could diagnose and correlate diabetes especially in its presymptomatic or preclinical stage [prediabetic] where easier treatment and control could be done