title: The impact of some behavioral aspects on periodontal disease in a group of Romanian students - an epidemiological survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence of periodontitis in a young population representative for the North-western part of Romania (Transylvania) and to identify possible risk indicators of periodontitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study is a cross-sectional epidemiological survey. The subjects were students randomly sampled from three universities in Cluj-Napoca and high school students from the neighboring city of Bistrita. The sample size of the population was calculated. Overall, 623 subjects aged 16-35 years were evaluated, of which 488 were university students and 135 high school students. A structured questionnaire was administrated to collect information on socio-behavioral status and oral hygiene habits. Periodontal data was collected using a full-mouth methodology by trained examiners. A recent introduced case definition was used to pick up periodontitis cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The older the subject, the more frequent toothbrushing, dental visits, and use of interproximal hygiene devices, but also addiction to tobacco and alcohol consumption. The prevalence of periodontitis was 0.96% (n=6). Half of these subjects (n=3, 0.48%) were considered to have aggressive periodontitis (AP). Low frequency of toothbrush changing was identified to influence the development of periodontitis. Smoking and lower socioeconomic level did not seem to correlate with periodontal disease in the present study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In order to better understand the prevalence of periodontal diseases and identify periodontitis cases as well as to evaluate the impact of specific behavioral factors on the disease development in individual and population levels, further extensive screenings are obviously required. Periodontal prevention programs focusing on oral health behavior are mandatory.
authors.affiliation: Periodontology Department, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Ş A
authors.initials: ŞA
authors.lastname: Petruţiu
authors.affiliation: Periodontology Department, Victor Babeş University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara, Romania.
authors.forename: S-I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Stratul
authors.affiliation: Periodontology Department, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soancă
authors.affiliation: Periodontology Department, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Electronic address: veve_alexandra@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roman
authors.affiliation: Implantology Department, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Băciuţ
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kasaj
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Department, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Bocşan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D001519:Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D011153:Population; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescent; Adult; Adulte; Behaviour; Epidemiology; Habitude; Parodontite; Periodontitis; Épidémiologie