Periodontal disease in three young adult populations

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to assess periodontal destruction and related etiological factors in three young adult male populations in the U.S.A., Norway, and Sri Lanka. The clinical examination included the Plaque Index (Silness & Loe 1964), Retention Index for calculus, defective fillings, and gingival caries (Loe 1967), Gingival Index (Loe & Silness 1963), and Loss of Attachment (Ramfjord 1959).Plaque accumulation, calculus deposition, and gingival inflammation were higher in interproximal than buccal areas. Plaque and Gingival Index scores remained constant over the entire age range in each population. The filling experience was high in Norway compared to the U.S.A. and Sri Lankan populations where few defective fillings were found. Caries related to the gingival margin were rare in all three populations. Loss of attachment increased with age and was greater on buccal surfaces than mesial surfaces. The distribution of attachment loss was similar in the three populations, and the greatest attachment loss involved maxillary first molars, maxillary and mandibular first premolars, and mandibular incisors. Rates of attachment loss in these young populations were low, averaging less than 0.06 mm per year.

Clinical course of chronic periodontitis

“…It was expected that in such a group the clinical course of the disease would transpire in a subtle mode, and that the age distribution and clinical methods chosen would allow for the assessment of the earliest signs of the transition from periodontal health to disease. Both have been borne out by this and previous publications (Ånerud et al 1979, 1983).…”

“…Although loss of attachment is rarely found in children, it seems to start some time during the late teens (Hugoson & Jordan 1982, Löe et al 1986, Bhat 1991, Brown & Löe 2000). Most young individuals between 20 and 30 years of age have one or more sites with attachment loss (Ånerud et al 1983), expressed as gingival recession, pocket formation or a combination thereof.…”

Prevalence of horizontal attachment loss in extracted teeth

“…There have been several studies of the distribution of vertical attachment loss (Ånerud et al 1983, Baelum et al 1988, Okamoto et al 1988, Papapanou et al 1988, Yoneyama et al 1988). Their findings have been applied to subgingival debridement of root surface deposits.…”

Screening for periodontal disease in research dogs - a methodology study

“…A number of studies suggest that PD among dogs [15-18], in corroboration with PD in humans [19-21], follows a particular pattern within the dentition, which may be utilized to develop a tool for screening dogs for PD. A total periodontal disease index for disease estimation has been described; however this index aims at estimating disease extent within a dentition, not as in this present study disease occurrence within a population [22,23].…”