Prevalence of chronic periodontitis and its risk determinants among female patients in the Aseer Region of KSA

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of chronic periodontitis and its determinants among patients in the Aseer Region of KSA. METHODS: A total of 1000 consecutive new female patients between 25- to 75-years of age were screened for the presence of any periodontal disease. The various demographic characteristics of the study participants included age, educational level, occupation, presence of diabetes mellitus, family history of periodontal disease, and oral hygiene practices per subject were recorded. The parameters addressing periodontal prevalence and severity were also recorded. RESULTS: Of these patients, 457 were found to have evidence of periodontal disease. These patients were considered for a further detailed periodontal examination. The chi-square test for goodness of fit showed that 46.6% have localized chronic gingivitis while 2.2% have generalized chronic gingivitis. Localized chronic periodontitis ranged from 4.2% to 12%, whereas generalized chronic periodontitis varied from 3.1 to 14.7%. The non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis chi-square statistics showed that factors such as age, education, occupation, infrequent last dental visit, presence of diabetes mellitus and bleeding on probing were significant risk determinants for periodontal disease in the selected cohort. CONCLUSION: The majority of the population showed the presence of localized chronic gingivitis. Age, education, occupation, infrequent dental visits and presence of diabetes mellitus are significant risk determinants for the occurrence of chronic periodontitis. Information concerning individual risk for developing periodontal disease should be carefully evaluated for proper patient management and for better overall general health.