Clinical pariodental findings in a group of Swiss youth

Abstract

A clinical epidemiological examination of the health status of the teeth and supporting structures of 1084 recruits at a summer recruits-school was conducted. With one exception all of the Swiss cantons were represented among the recruits. Only one recruit had a clinically healthy periodontium; all of the others showed inflammatory changes of the gingivae. The average PDI was 3.58. In the majority of the recruits signs of early bone loss around one or more sites was observable. Teeth with markedly abraded chewing surfaces did not show an increased prevalence of bone loss. An examination of existing fillings and crowns revealed a large number of unsatisfactory filling margins. The average DMFT value of 14.5 was mainly the result of the high number of filled teeth.