Necesidades de tratamiento periodontal en adultos de la región rural mixteca del estado de puebla, México

Abstract

Objective This study was aimed at determining periodontal treatment needs, as determined by the Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Need (CPITN), in a sample of adults from the Mixteca region of the State of Puebla, in Mexico. Materials and Methods This was a descriptive, cross-sectional, single-centre study. Previous informed consent was obtained; 60.0 % of the sample were women whose main activity was housework (46 %), 14.0 % were farmers. Average age was 37.6 ± 13.6. Gingival and Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Need proposed by the World Health Organisation and the International Dental Federation were used; they were implemented by the same, previously-standardised researcher. Means, standard deviations and confidence intervals were calculated for dimensional variables and percentages for categorical ones. Results The gingival index gave 50.0 % light gingivitis, 32.0% moderate and 14.0 % severe gingivitis. The rear superior sextants commonly showed more 4 to 5 mm pockets, the front sextants calculus and the rear inferior sextants showed calculus and bleeding. 94.0 % of the patients required periodontal treatment (3.6 sextants per patient average). Conclusions Periodontal treatment needs were high in this study; nine out of ten patients in the Mixteca region of the State of Puebla required periodontal treatment. Efforts must thus be guided towards improving oral health in indigenous communities.