title: Prevalence and severity of gingivitis in school students aged 6-11 years in Tafelah Governorate, South Jordan: results of the survey executed by National Woman's Health Care Center.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A cross-sectional census was conducted on 994 public school students aged 6-11 years living in 3 different parts of Tafeleh Governorate-South of Jordan, to determine the prevalence, and severity of gingivitis and to evaluate the oral hygiene habits among them as a part a survey executed by National Woman's Health Care Center. All students were examined for gingival index (GI) and plaque index (PI), information about oral hygiene habits was recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 29.8 % had healthy gingiva, 38.5 % had mild gingivitis, 31.4 % had moderate gingivitis, and 0.3 % had severe gingivitis. The difference between both genders was not statistically significant P > 0.05. 36.8 % of the examined students never brushed their teeth. Average gingival index (GI) and average plaque index (PI) were 0.77 and 0.61 respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fair oral hygiene with mild to moderate gingivitis is highly prevalent among Tafelah school children. This study indicated that oral health status among schoolchildren in Tafelah is poor and needs to be improved. Long-term school based oral health education programme is highly recommended.
authors.affiliation: Royal Medical Services, P.O Box 391, Salt, 19110, Jordan. rrodan@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Rania
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodan
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, P.O Box 1040, Amman, 11941, Jordan. feryalkhlayfat@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Feryal
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Khlaifat
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry, University of Jordan, P.O Box 855066, Amman, 11855, Jordan. alsomadi@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Leena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Smadi
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, P.O Box 86, Amman, 11118, Jordan. Petrajordan32@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Reem
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Azab
authors.affiliation: Head of Planning, Research and Information Department, National Woman's Health Care Center, P.O Box 723, Amman, 11831, Jordan. aaamer1978@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Asma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdalmohdi
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007597:Jordan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010512:Periodontal Index; D015995:Prevalence; D012574:Schools; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*