Document Type : Research Paper
Author
Abstract
Aims: To evaluate the oral cleanliness and gingival health among intermediate school students and to
find if there was any variation between age and sex groups in Thamar–Yemen. Material and
Methods: A sample of 596 students aged 13–15 years old (308 males, 288 females) were examined
using plaque index score by Silness and Löe (1964) and gingival index by Löe and Silness (1963). The
clinical examinations were carried out in the school using plane mouth mirrors, WHO periodontal
probes to detect the dental plaque and gingival health. Results: The mean plaque score for the total
sample was 0.90. The plaque index was increasing with age, females reported less mean plaque scores
than males with statistically significant difference between them. The mean gingival score was 0.52 for
the total sample and it was increasing with age with statistical significant difference. Females also
reported less gingival scores than males with statistical significant difference between them. The study revealed that 45.1 % of the total sample did not brush their teeth. Conclusion: Gingival and periodontal diseases are indirectly related to the exposure of bacterial plaque for long time which calls for integrated, coordinated planning of preventive and treatment services as an urgent priority.
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