This paper describes the occurrence and levels of gingival recession in 2 cohorts of individuals participating in parallel longitudinal studies in Norway (1969-1988) and Sri Lanka (1970-1990), covering the age range from 15 to 50 years. In the Norwegian cohort gingival recession had begun early in life. It occurred in greater than or equal to 60% of the 20 year-olds and was confined to the buccal surfaces. At 30, greater than or equal to 70% had recession, which still was found mainly on buccal surfaces. As the group approached 50 years of age, more than 90% had gingival recession; greater than or equal to 25% of the buccal surfaces were involved, greater than or equal to 15% of lingual, and 3 to 4% of the interproximal surfaces. In the Sri Lankan cohort greater than or equal to 30% exhibited gingival recession before the age of 20 years. By 30 years, 90% had recession on buccal, lingual, and interproximal surfaces; and at 40 years, 100% of the Sri Lankans had recession. As they approached 50 years, gingival recession occurred in greater than or equal to 70% of the buccal, greater than or equal to 50% of the lingual, and 40% of the interproximal surfaces. Based on the special features of the two cohorts, the working hypothesis is advanced that there is more than one type of gingival recession and probably several factors determining the initiation and development of these lesions.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1992

Broadening the scope of dental education.

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Dental Restoration, Permanent↗

PubMed1991

The natural history and clinical course of calculus formation in man.

This paper describes levels and progression of supra- and subgingival calculus undisturbed by active professional intervention or home care between 1970 and 1985 in Sri Lanka, or when removed at regular intervals between 1969 and 1988 in Norway. In the Sri Lankan tea laborers, both supra- and subgingival calculus formation started before age 14 years. At 40 years of age, all participants and almost all teeth and tooth surfaces had calculus. Tea laborers who both smoked tobacco and chewed betel had significantly higher calculus scores than those who only had one of these habits, and those who neither chewed nor smoked had the lowest calculus scores. Teeth with calculus showed a significantly higher rate of loss of attachment than teeth that remained calculus free. For the Norwegians who had enjoyed regular dental care throughout their lives, supragingival calculus did not increase in frequency from adolescence to the forties. Approximately 70% of the interproximal surfaces were calculus free after 40-50 years of age. Subgingival calculus scores, although low, showed some increase with longer times of exposure. On average, each person had 0.4 interproximal surfaces with subgingival calculus as they approached 50 years of age. In this Norwegian population, subgingival calculus had no impact on loss of attachment.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

Early onset periodontitis in the United States of America.

A National Survey of the Oral Health of U.S. children aged 5 to 17 was conducted by the National Institute of Dental Research during the 1986-87 school year. Eleven thousand and seven adolescents aged 14 to 17 years received a periodontal assessment. Their patterns of loss of periodontal attachment as assessed by probing at mesial sites were used to classify adolescents as cases of early onset periodontitis. Approximately 0.53% of adolescents nation-wide were estimated to have localized juvenile periodontitis (LJP), 0.13% to have generalized juvenile periodontitis (GJP), and 1.61% to have incidental loss of attachment (LA) (greater than or equal to 3 mm on 1 or more teeth). The total number of adolescents affected were not trivial. Close to 70,000 adolescents in the U.S. were estimated to have LJP in 1986-87. More destructive GJP affected an estimated 17,000 adolescents. Another 212,000 adolescents were estimated to have incidental LA. Blacks were at much greater risk for all forms of early onset periodontitis than whites. Males were clearly more likely (4.3 to 1) to have GJP than females when other variables were statistically controlled. Gender associations were more complicated for LJP because gender interacted with race. Black males were 2.9 times as likely to have LJP as black females. In contrast, white females were more likely than white males to have the disease by about the same odds. When interactions among demographic variables exist, caution must be taken in comparing results from different studies.

Adolescent↗