Influence of interdental contacts on periodontal status

A group of 40 healthy, young adult male naval recruits were examined and scored for gingival inflammation, plaque, food impaction, pocket depth, carious lesions, calculus, restorations and overhangs. The findings of this study support those previously reported in naval recruits, i.e. gingival inflammation is widespread involving almost every area examined. Naval recruits do not adequately remove deposits of interdental plaque, and at least one pocket with a depth of 4 mm or greater is present in three out of every four recruits. Additionally, it was found that the level of gingival inflammation was considered moderate or severe in more than 80% of the areas examined. Analysis revealed no significant relationship between contact type and Gingival Index or pocket depth. However, the significant relationship observed between food impaction and contact type, and between food impaction and pocket depth, reinforced clinical observations that food impaction contributes to periodontal pathosis. A high number of restorations had mechanical retentive areas for bacterial plaque accumulations. Thus, in addition to establishing adequate levels of interproximal surface plaque removal by the patient, the clinician should take great care in finishing the gingival margins of restorations and should eliminate those factors associated with food impaction early in treatment.