title: Aggressive and chronic periodontitis in a population of Moroccan school students.
abstract: This study assessed the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and demographics of chronic and aggressive periodontitis in a representative sample drawn from a subpopulation in Morocco.
  
  
  
  Eight hundred and thirty students representative of 12+ years old attending schools in the Province of Benslimane, Morocco were selected by a multi-phased, probability sampling. Their age was 12-25 years (mean: 16.1 years) and comprised of 50% males and 50% females. Chronic and aggressive periodontitis were determined clinically.
  
  
  
  A total of 31% and 10.1% of the subjects had ≥4 mm and ≥6 mm attachment loss, respectively; 4.9% had aggressive periodontitis, and 6.4% had chronic periodontitis. Subjects with chronic periodontitis typically had 4-5 mm attachment loss affecting a few molars or premolars. Subjects with aggressive periodontitis had ≥5 mm attachment loss affecting multiple teeth, and 68% and 73% of these subjects had ≥6 mm attachment loss affecting maxillary and mandibular molars respectively. Attachment loss and periodontitis were significantly more prevalent in the 19-25 years group, than the 12-18 years age group. There were no significant differences in disease prevalence by gender or ethnic groups (Arab versus Berber).
  
  
  
  This young Moroccan population is at high risk of destructive periodontal disease, and further studies are indicated to investigate the biological and environmental factors that may contribute to the increased risk of disease in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Faculté de Médecine Dentaire, Université Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Jamila
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kissa
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Faculté de Médecine Dentaire, Université Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Sihame
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chemlali
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Faculté de Médecine Dentaire, Université Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Bouchra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: El Houari
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Faculté de Médecine Dentaire, Université Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Khadija
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Amine
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Faculté de Médecine Dentaire, Université Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khlil
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Faculté de Médecine Dentaire, Université Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Salwa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mikou
authors.affiliation: Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Université Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Sellama
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nadifi
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology and Oral Implantology, School of Dentistry, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Jasim.Albandar@temple.edu.
authors.forename: Jasim M
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7801-3811
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Albandar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D010520:Aggressive Periodontitis; D002648:Child; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss; D015995:Prevalence; D013334:Students; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: aggressive periodontitis; attachment loss; chronic periodontitis; demography; ethnic groups; periodontal diseases; prevalence