Periodontal disease in a remote Asian population: association between clinical and microbiological parameters.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to clinically and microbiologically describe the periodontal conditions in a remote adult Asian population with poor oral hygiene.


METHODS
The subjects were 30-60-year-old adults of Karen Hill tribes with no access to dental care. Eighty-six subjects were selected randomly. Clinical registrations included number of remaining teeth, plaque index (PlI), bleeding on probing (BoP), clinical attachment loss (CAL), and probing pocket depth (PPD). Subgingival plaque samples were collected and analyzed with the checkerboard method.


RESULTS
Subjects of the study group had mean number of remaining teeth of 26.5 despite the abundant plaque and a high bleeding score. Severe periodontitis (CAL ≥ 7 mm) was recorded in 12.9% of the youngest age group (30-39 years) while it was significantly higher (52%) in the middle group (40-49 years) and (60%) in the eldest age group (50-60 years). Pathological pocketing (PPD ≥ 7 mm) was significantly lower in all age groups. Age, betel chewing, and a microbiological cluster including at least one of Prevotella tannerae, Filifactor alocis and Porphyromonas endodontalis significantly correlated with the severity of periodontal disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Age, betel chewing, and a new bacterial complex other than the "red complex" correlated to periodontal breakdown in this remote adult Asian population.
Department of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Christine
C
Kvarnvik
Department of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Emelie
E
Söljegård
Department of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Georgios
G
Charalampakis
Princess Mother Medical Voluntary Foundation, Bangkok, Thailand.
Narong
N
Suksu-Art
Department of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Gunnar
G
Dahlén
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001114:Areca; D044466:Asian People; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003729:Dental Care; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012424:Rural Population; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000382:microbiology
Karen Hill tribes; betel chewing; periodontal epidemiology; periodontitis; subgingival flora