Evaluation of gingival recession in left- and right-handed adults

Recession is the exposure of the root surface by an apical shift in the position of the gingiva. Several factors have been implicated in the etiology of gingival recession. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between gingival recession and the hand, right or left, duration, frequency, and technique of tooth brushing in left- and right-handed adults in Erzurum, Turkey. Fifty five left-handed (35 female and 20 male) and 55 right-handed (35 female and 25 male) subjects were included in the study. The left and right hand positions of the subjects were determined by using Oldfield's Edinburg Inventory Index, and they were divided into two groups as left-handed and right-handed. The amount of gingival recession and localization, oral hygiene situations, gingival bleeding, toothbrushing duration, frequency, and techniques of subjects were evaluated. The relationship between the amount of gingival recession and localization and the subjects' hand, duration, frequency and technique of tooth brushing were examined. The data were evaluated with variance analysis and student's t test. The oral hygiene situations in right- and left-handed subjects were determined. On comparing the left-handed subjects with the right-handed ones, it was observed that the left-handed subjects had better oral hygiene than the right-handed. But, this case was not statistically significant (p > .05). In both right-handed and left-handed subjects, women had better oral hygiene than men (p < .01). The rate of gingival recession was found more in the left-handed than in the right-handed (p < .05). In the right-handed subjects, gingival recession was found in the premolar and canine regions of upper right and lower right jaw. A similar result was also observed in the left-handed subjects, because gingival recession was seen on their upper left and lower left jaw. Incisive teeth were affected at the same rate in the left-handed and right-handed. The gingival recession was seen more in maxillary jaw than in mandibular jaw in both groups. A statistically significant relationship between gingival recession and frequency duration, and technique of tooth brushing was found. While the greatest amount of gingival recession was found in horizontal scrub technique, gingival recession increased with increasing tooth brushing duration and frequency. The relationship between gingival recession and hand using in tooth brushing was determined.