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. 2017 Sep;36(3):140-145.

Prevalence of Gingivitis in a Group of 35- to 70-Year-Olds Residing in Puerto Rico

Augusto R Elías-Boneta  1 , Angeliz Encarnación  2 , Sona Rivas-Tumanyan  2 , Beatriz C Berríos-Ouslán  2 , Bayardo García-Godoy  2 , Margarita Murillo  2 , Jomar Diaz-Nicolas  2 , Ferdinand Lugo  3 , Milagros J Toro  2
Affiliations

Prevalence of Gingivitis in a Group of 35- to 70-Year-Olds Residing in Puerto Rico

Augusto R Elías-Boneta et al. P R Health Sci J. 2017 Sep.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Objective: Gingivitis, an inflammation of the gingival tissues, typically progresses to periodontitis. The objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence of gingivitis in 35- to 70-year-olds residing in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and assess the differences in gingivitis distribution between age and gender groups.

Methods: A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted with a sample of patients from a private practice and patients/employees of the Puerto Rico Medical Center. Participants completed a medical history questionnaire and received soft/hard tissue and gingival assessments based on a modified Löe-Silness index. Descriptive statistics were employed to estimate the overall gingivitis prevalence, severity (mild, moderate, severe), and mean gingival index (GI). Bleeding on probing (BOP) prevalence and the mean percentage of BOP sites were calculated by gender and age. Multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations between age, gender, and severity in 3 categories; multivariate logistic regression was used for having >=40% sites with BOP (vs. having <40% sites with BOP as reference). Odds ratios were also estimated.

Results: All 300 participants (52% women; 48% men) had gingivitis. The mean GI was 1.38. Moderate gingivitis was detected in 83% of the participants, mild in 7.3%, and severe in 9.3%. BOP was observed in 99% of the subjects (mean % BOP sites = 34%). After adjusting for age, men had significantly higher odds of moderate (OR = 4.66) and severe gingivitis (OR =10.06), compared to women, as well as 1.76 times higher odds of having 40% or more sites with BOP.

Conclusion: Gingivitis was observed in all participants. Men had significantly higher GI, compared to women. The prevalence of gingivitis was higher in Puerto Rico than in the US.

Objetivo:: La gingivitis, una inflamación de los tejidos gingivales, típicamente progresa a periodontitis. El propósito de este estudio es estimar la prevalencia de gingivitis en residentes de 35–70 años de San Juan, Puerto Rico y evaluar diferencias en su distribución por edad y género.

Métodos:: Estudio epidemiológico de corte transversal utilizando pacientes de una práctica privada, y pacientes/empleados del Centro Médico de PR. Los sujetos completaron un cuestionario de historial médico, recibieron evaluaciones de tejidos blandos/duros y gingivales utilizando un Índice de Löe–Silness modificado. Se utilizaron estadísticas descriptivas para estimar la prevalencia de gingivitis (leve, moderada y severa) y el índice gingival (IG) promedio. Se calculó la prevalencia de sangrado al sondaje (SAS) y el porcentaje de sitios con SaS por género y edad. Se utilizó regresión logística multinomial para evaluar las asociaciones entre edad, sexo y severidad en 3 categorías; se usó una regresión logística multivariable presentando ≥40% con SAS (vs. tener <40% sitios con SaS como referencia).

Resultados:: 300 participantes (52% mujeres y 48% hombres) presentaron gingivitis. El IG promedio fue 1.38. Se detectó gingivitis moderada en 83% de los participantes, leve (7.3%) y severa (9.3%). SAS se observó en 99% de los sujetos (34% de sitios). Los hombres presentaron una probabilidad más alta de gingivitis moderada (4.66) y severa (10.06), en comparación con mujeres, así como 1,76 veces mayor posibilidad de tener ≥ 40% o más sitios con SaS.

Conclusión:: La presencia de gingivitis se observó en todos los participantes. El IG es mayor en hombres que en mujeres. La prevalencia de la gingivitis fue más alta que en EE.UU.

Keywords: Adults; Bleeding on probing; Gingivitis; Prevalence; Puerto Rico.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author/s has/have no conflict/s of interest to diclose.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
CONSORT Flow Diagram
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