Epidemiology of odontogenic periostitis

The frequency of odontogenic periostitis (o.p.) observed during 13 consecutive years was assessed according to sex, age, and the affected pairs of teeth, in subjects admitted to an outpatient department in an area with an unsatisfactory dentist/population ratio. O.p. was less frequent in the older age groups, even after adjustment for the decreasing number of subjects with advancing age. The observed frequencies of o. p. were related in groups with a range of 10 years, both in men and women to the number of teeth present, i. e. "at risk". The last-mentioned figures were calculated for the individual pairs of teeth relying on a population model. the maximum risk of the individual tooth pairs was not found for all teeth in the same age classes but varied, partly in accordance with the caries susceptibilities, though this item was not the determining factor. O. p. is an avoidable sequel of penetrating caries, and as such is one of the consequences of the inadequate health education of the public.