Periodontal Diseases in the United States Population

Abstract

Recent epidemiologic surveys and studies have provided important information on the prevalence, extent, and severity of periodontal diseases in the United States. Over 50% of adults had gingivitis on an average of 3 to 4 teeth. Subgingival calculus was present in 67% of the population. Adult periodontitis, measured by the presence of periodontal pockets > or = 4 mm, was found in about 30% of the population on an average of 3 to 4 teeth. Severe pockets > or = 6 mm were found in less than 5% of the population. Attachment loss > or = 3 mm was found in 40% of the population. Gingival recession accounted for a significant amount of attachment loss. The prevalence of early-onset periodontitis ranged from less than 1% in 14- to 17-year-olds to 3.6% in young adults aged 18 to 34. Extensive and severe periodontitis was much more prevalent in minorities, people with less than a high school education, and those who had seen a dentist infrequently and had subgingival calculus. Smoking and diabetes have been identified as risk factors, especially diabetics with poor metabolic control, a long duration of the disease, and extensive subgingival calculus. Under managed care, there has been an expansion of soft tissue management programs in the offices of general dentists and referral guidelines which limit referral of patients with moderate periodontitis. Quality-assurance mechanisms will be essential for the diagnosis and treatment of persons with periodontitis.

Predictive modeling of gingivitis severity and susceptibility via oral microbiota

“…However, the role of gingivitis in periodontitis pathogenesis remains controversial: an etiological connection between them has been postulated but not yet proved. One confounding factor has been that not all gingivitis cases proceed into periodontitis: epidemiological studies showed that B50% of adults have gingivitis around more than six teeth (Oliver et al, 1998), while only 15% of adults suffer from periodontitis (Oliver et al, 1991). In our identified 'gingivitis-driver' genera, several species (for example, Tannerella forsythia, Peptostreptococcus micros (Parvimonas micra), Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp., Haemophilus paraphrophilus and Capnocytophaga sp.…”

A prospective study to investigate the relationship between periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcome

“…Only 1.4% of our population had loss of attachment of 3 mm or greater in 25% or over of sites, whereas one-third of the Alabama subjects had this level of disease. It has been reported that there is a high incidence of early-onset periodontitis amongst AfricanAmericans in certain regions of USA 30 and this may explain, in part, the higher prevalence of periodontal disease in the North Carolina and Alabama studies. Davenport et al 4 also gave some indication of the level of periodontal disease in their population: the control subjects had a mean probing depth of 3.85 mm and the case subjects had a mean probing depth of 3.72 mm.…”

Innate Immune Recognition of Invasive Bacteria Accelerates Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice

“…19 -21 Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the periodontium that leads to erosion of the attachment apparatus and supporting bone for the teeth 22 and is one of the most common chronic infectious diseases of humans. 23 Porphyromonas gingivalis is the primary pathogenetic agent of adult periodontal disease. 24,25 Haraszthy et al 26 detected P gingivalis in human atheromatous tissue by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), indicating that P gingivalis gains access to the vasculature and localizes at sites of atheroma development.…”