Communication and Patient Motivation in Preventive Periodontics

PERIODONTAL disease is a major chronic disease which has received little public health attention.The National Health Survey has reported that one of four Ameriean adults who still have their teeth has destructive periodontal disease; about two of four have gingivitis (1).Past early middle age periodontal dis¬ ease is the major contributing cause to tooth loss.Further, it is an insidious disease which often has an asymptomatic early course, and it is extremely common among children.Public health dentistry has been almost ex- clusively concerned with controlling caries.Al¬ though that goal has not yet been achieved, the road to conquering caries seems direct.throughpromotion of universal fluoridation of com¬ munity water and widespread use of topical fluorides and therapeutic dentifrices.These measures have the potential to reduce caries in¬ cidence by two-thirds.Thus, the time is ripe to attack periodontal disease, the other major de- stroyer of good oral health.The following discussion concerning com¬ munication and patient motivation in preventive periodontics presents some findings from recentThe authors are with the Public Health Service.Dr.