Appraisal of Periodontal Condition amongst Leather Manufacturing Plant Workers in Central India: A Prevalence Survey

OBJECTIVE: To assess the periodontal status among the leather factory workers in Dewas and to provide a baseline data for the oral health care and promotion programs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 850 study population was considered for examination, and the age ranged from 20 to 60 years. All those factory workers with low socioeconomic status and poor background were considered. The data were collected by means modified World Health Organization (WHO) Oral Health Assessment 1997 Performa and clinical examination with the use of the Community Periodontal Index (CPI). Statistical analyses were used: chi-squared test, Mann–Whitney U test, and Kruskal–Wallis test. RESULTS: The sociodemographic characteristics were found to be significantly associated with the periodontal status in the study population (p ≤ 0.05). Mean number of loss of attachment (LOA) 0 sextants was 3.55 ± 2.35, LOA 1 was 0.935 ± 1.3, LOA 2 was 0.414 ± 0.8, LOA 3 was 0.529 ± 0.94, and LOA 4 was 1.24 ± 0.04; all the parameters showed statistically significant difference (p=0.001) except LOA 1 and LOA 2. CONCLUSION: The periodontal health status of the factory workers is poor. Factors associated with high prevalence of periodontal disease could be the following: a high rate of tobacco consumption and not cleaning their teeth at all along with other associated factors like stress, poor oral hygiene, etc.