title: Gingival recession and toothbrushing in an Italian School of Dentistry: a pilot study.
abstract: The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the prevalence of gingival recession at buccal tooth surfaces in a student population of Bologna University Dental School. A total of 55 subjects, attending the 1st and 5th year of the course were examined. The clinical examination involved assessment of plaque, calculus, width of keratinized gingiva, buccal probing depth and buccal gingival recession. Information about toothbrushing behavior was collected in an interview. The multiple regression analysis showed that level of education (p=0.002), toothbrushing technique (p=0.013) and toothbrushing frequency (p=0.016) are significant contributors to gingival recession. Notwithstanding the limits of a preliminary study, a higher prevalence of buccal recession is observed in the final year students, which have also a significantly lower % of buccal surfaces with calculus (p=0.014). In addition, it clearly appears that there is the necessity to investigate other factors connected with toothbrushing (pressure, time, toothpaste quantity) in order to provide an oral hygiene education without undesired effects.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, University of Bologna, Italy. lchecchi@alma.unibo.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Checchi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Daprile
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Gatto
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Pelliccioni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003728:Dental Calculus / Q000473:pathology; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000473:pathology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000473:pathology; D005888:Gingival Pocket / Q000473:pathology; D005889:Gingival Recession / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007558:Italy; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011312:Pressure; D015995:Prevalence; D013335:Students, Dental; D013997:Time Factors; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D014100:Toothpastes / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014100:Toothpastes