Periodontal Conditions in Adults Chinese

Objectives: To describe the periodontal conditions in adult Chinese and to investigate factors that may have influenced periodontal attachment loss. Methods: The 3rd Chinese National Oral Health Survey was conducted in 2005. Subjects were recruited from 36 urban and rural survey sites in a province throughout 30 provinces of China. In total, 23,538 35- to 44-year-old subjects and 23,415 65- to 74-year-old subjects completed a structured interview and underwent a periodontal examination. Results: Dental calculus was found in 97.3% middle-aged adults and 88.7% elderly. The mean number of teeth with calculus was 21.9 and 15.4 in middle-aged adults and elderly respectively. Bleeding on probing was found in 77.3% middle-aged subjects and 68.0% elders, furthermore, higher percentage of subjects in rural areas was found with bleeding on probing than those in urban areas. 40.9% of middle-aged adults and 50.2% of elders was found to having periodontal pockets more than 4mm. 4.9% of middle-aged adults and 10.1% of elders was found to having periodontal pockets more than 6mm. The mean number of teeth with depth of periodontal pockets more than 6mm was 0.1 in middle-aged adults and 0.2 in the elders. Attachment loss was more prevalent than pockets in both age groups. 0.3% middle-aged adults and 2.3% elders was found to have attachment loss over 12mm. In both age groups, logistic regression analysis indicated that being male, wearing partial dentures, and reporting less frequent toothbrushing were found to be associated with considerable attachment loss. Conclusions: The results of this large-scale socio-epidemiological study on periodontal conditions showed that the oral hygiene in Chinese adults and elderly was poor; bleeding on probing and shallow periodontal pockets was common, fortunately current severe periodontal disease, as indicated by deep pockets, appears to be limited to a small proportion of Chinese adults and elderly.