Periodontal treatment needs in populations of high‐ and low‐fluoride areas of Morocco

The purpose of this study was to determine the periodontal status and treatment needs, using the CPITN index, in a population aged 7 to 60 years residing in the fluorosis area of Khouribga and the non-fluorosis area of Beni-Mellal, Morocco. A total of 2378 subjects was studied. In the youngest age groups, more subjects and sextants from Khouribga than from Beni-Mellal were free of periodontal diseases. Conversely, in Beni-Mellal, subjects in the youngest age groups presented a higher mean number of sextants with calculus than those from Khouribga. In combining the 2 areas, 1.3% of the 2319 dentate subjects examined needed no treatment and 98.7% needed at least oral hygiene instructions (TN1). The present study, based on the CPITN index, demonstrated in both areas a high prevalence of gingivitis, and a relatively low prevalence of deep pocketing, occurring on the average in less than half a sextant in the total populations.