Oral Hygiene Status, Tooth Loss, and Periodontal Disease Severity in Mexican Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Periodontal disease is a chronic condition, and its etiology is mainly related to biofilm and the destruction of the attachment apparatus resulting from poor application of oral hygiene measures. The aim was to study the relationship between oral hygiene and the severity of periodontal disease, in addition to evaluating the relationship between periodontitis and tooth loss in Mexican adults aged 20-49 years.

Information from 10,897 Mexican adults between 2019 and 2022 was included by the Epidemiological Monitoring System for Oral Pathologies. The severity of periodontal disease was evaluated via the Community Periodontal Index (CPI) and classified into four groups: CPI = 0 (healthy); CPI = 1 (bleeding on probing); CPI = 2 (calculus); and CPI = 3/4 (periodontitis).

Of the total population, 20.4% presented bleeding, 30.3% presented dental calculus, 3.5% presented periodontitis, and 37.2% presented at least one missing tooth. Poor oral hygiene [OR = 4.01 (95% CI 3.24-4.96); p  < 0.001] and a low level of education [OR = 1.39 (95%CI 1.11-1.73); p = 0.003] were significantly associated with periodontitis. Adults with periodontitis are more likely to present tooth loss [OR = 2.51 (95% CI 2.01-3.15); p  < 0.001], with the probability of presenting the disease increasing in line with age.

Poor oral hygiene and tooth loss are related to periodontitis in Mexican adults. It is essential to design strategies that strengthen motivation and promote oral health, with the goal of reducing the prevalence of periodontal disease and improving the maintenance of the dental support system.