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Puberty‐associated gingivitis
Author(s) -
Tiainen Leena,
Asikainen Sirkka,
Saxén Leena
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
community dentistry and oral epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1600-0528
pISSN - 0301-5661
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0528.1992.tb00683.x
Subject(s) - medicine , gingivitis , dentistry , oral hygiene , sex organ , molar , physiology , biology , genetics
In a 2‐yr follow‐up study gingival condition was related to oral hygiene and different stages of puberty in SN 14‐yr‐old Finnish schoolchildren. Visible plaque and gingival bleeding after probing were determined from six teeth, at four sites each. Bitewing radiographs were taken from the molar areas. These examinations were repeated 2 yr later. The pubertal stage of the subjects was determined at the age of 14 by the school physician based on the classification of Tanner according to breast development (M) in girls and genital development (G) in boys. All subjects were in the somatic period of puberty at the time of the baseline examination. No radiographically detectable bone loss was found in either of the examinations. “There was no difference in the gingival bleeding tendency at various pubertal stages when all subjects were included or when boys and girls were compared separately. Instead, a highly significant correlation was found between gingival bleeding and visible plaque, both at the baseline and 2 yr later. The results indicate that from the age of 14 to 16 the influence of oral hygiene on the gingival condition may be more important than that of the rising level of steroid hormones.