title: Prevalence of gingival enlargement in Karnataka school going children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Periodontal diseases affect more people all over the world than dental caries. Increase in size of gingiva is known as gingival hyperplasia or gingival enlargement. Gingival swelling is almost universally the result of Fluid accumulation within the tissues. Enlargement and even aesthetically disfiguring over growth of the gingival tissue, is also a common finding of leukemia, scurvy and subjects undergoing the hormonal changes of puberty, pregnancy, menopause and drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample size of 1500 was taken. All children who were between the chronological age of 5-12 years from selected schools were included in the study.Three age groups were selected for the study, Group I: 5-7yrs, Group II: 7-9 yrs, Group III 9-12yrs. Each group comprised of 500 students. The examination of gingival enlargement was made according to Gingival Enlargement Index. The oral hygiene status of the child was examined using Oral Hygiene Index-Simplified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of Gingival Enlargement increased with the increase of age. Though the Prevalence of GE in female children (15.1%) was more than male children (13.4%), it was not statistically significant. Female children (1.6%) had a higher prevalence of epilepsy than male children (0.29%) in this present study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of gingival enlargement was predominantly inflammatory, showing that the oral hygiene status of the oral Children in Karnataka was far from satisfactory. Further studies need to be undertaken regarding the prevalence if GE in School going children. How to cite the article: Krishna KB, Raju PK, Chitturi RR, Smitha G, Vijai S, Srinivas BV. Prevalence of gingival enlargement in Karnataka school going children. J Int Oral Health 2014;6(1):106-10.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry, Lenora Dental College, Rajamundry, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: K Bala
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Krishna
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry, Sri Sai Dental College, Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: P Krishnam
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Raju
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry, Githam Dental College, Vishakapatna, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Radha Raani
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Chitturi
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, Rajarajeswari Dental College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Smitha
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry, Sri Arabind Dental College, Indore. Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vijai
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, Sri Sai Dental College, Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: B V V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Srinivas
keywords: Epilepsy; gingival enlargement; oral hygiene