The periodontal treatment needs of Malagan adults

The Periodontal treatment needs of 908 subjects aged 18-64 years in Málaga, Spain were assessed using the Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPITN). The percentage of subjects scored periodontally healthy decreased with age, 18-64 yrs., from 22% to 3%. Conversely periodontal pocketing increased with age from 2% to 55%. Calculus was a very prevalent score at all ages, about 60% overall. No significant differences in periodontal treatment needs were identified among the three defined socio-economic groups, but the health professional group had fewer periodontal pockets than the other two groups. Treatment needs increased significantly with age in all groups. For the WHO standard age group 35-44 yrs 8% of 180 were scored healthy, 66% were scored for calculus or bleeding only, 23% with shallow pockets and 3% with deep pockets. An average of 2 out of 6 sextants were found health and 2.6 (43%) had calculus or other retentive factors.