Pilot pathfinder survey of oral hygiene and periodontal conditions in the rural population of The Gambia (West Africa)

OBJECTIVE: To document oral hygiene and periodontal conditions in the rural population of The Gambia. BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN: Cross-sectional study according to the recommendations of the WHO for oral health surveys. CLINICAL SETTING: Examination by two calibrated investigators in the health centres of rural communities after a public radio call. Patients were randomly allocated to the investigators. PARTICIPANTS: 162 patients (20-54 years old; 52.5% female, 47.5% male). INTERVENTIONS: Patients were interviewed for personal information and examined in a full-mouth recording. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Oral Hygiene Index (OHI), Gingival Index (GI), Community Periodontal Index (CPI), and the Gingivitis-Periodontitis-Missing/Teeth Index (GPM/T). Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon-rank-sum test and Kruskal-Wallis test with statistical significance at P < 0.05. RESULTS: OHI increased by age from 6.9 to 9.2 (P < 0.05) and showed in tendency higher levels in men (P = 0.07), while the GI remained stable at 1.2. Community Periodontal Index codes increased by age (P < 0.05) and showed a fourfold higher prevalence for severe periodontitis in males (P < 0.05). Likewise, an age-related increase in GPM/T was evident (20.5 versus 25.4), significantly in the number of moderate periodontitis and missing teeth (P < 0.05). In GPM/T, males again demonstrated significantly more teeth affected by periodontitis than women. No statistical associations were found between ethnic groups or for different oral hygiene methods concerning CPI or GPM/T. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of predominantly mild to moderate periodontal disease indicates treatment needs that should be considered when developing a national oral health care plan in The Gambia (West Africa).