PubMed · 1999 · 11 citations · 0 references
DentistryOral Health SciencesPediatric DentistryChild Oral HealthOral DiagnosisPeriodontal EpidemiologyEpidemiology Of Oral DiseasesGingival DiseaseGingival HealthPediatric Oral HealthPediatric Oral Health AssessmentPeriodontal DiseaseGingival Diseases In ChildrenGingival Inflammation In ChildrenPediatric Periodontal HealthPeriodontal Conditions In ChildrenPlaque Quantification
The purpose of the current study was to compare the prevalence and severity of gingivitis and plaque among 291 well- and malnourished children between the ages of 4 to 7 years. Using the National Center for Health Statistics criteria, the children were identified as normal (well nourished), having a height-of-age > 95% of standard. Selected primary teeth of each child were assessed using the Plaque Index (PlI) and the Modified Gingival Index (MGI). The results demonstrated a 100% prevalence of plaque and gingivitis. Also, there was no significant difference in the PlI and MGI in the well-nourished and malnourished groups, nor between males and females. However, there was a trend in the well-nourished group to less plaque and gingivitis when broken down into different stature-by-age percentiles.