The Journal
Albandar et al explained the positive association may relate to the microbiological
[ 8 ]
aetiology of both diseases . Though , the typical bacterial species responsible for these diseases differ largely from each other , but plaque ( biofilm ) formation is related to both
[ 9 ]
diseases as a common link . Furthermore , both diseases share many social and behavioural
[ 10 , 11 ]
background factors in common . Negative association , besides differences in the bacteriological spectrum , may be related to the demineralization processes seen in the development of caries as opposed to mineralization processes seen in calculus formation associated with the etiology of
[ 6 ] periodontal diseases . Since very limited and inconclusive data is available regarding the association or relationship of dental caries and periodontitis , the present study was conducted to explore the same in the regional population of Derabassi ( Punjab ) to further substantiate their relation and to critically review the etiologic links of both pathologies .
Material and methods
A total of 400 subjects aged above 25 years and having atleast 20 teeth ( excluding third molars ) visiting the outpatient department of Department of Periodontology and Oral Implantology and in various field camps organized by National Dental College and hospital , Derabassi were enrolled and examined clinically for oral health . Exclusion criteria included any systemic disease , pregnant , mentally compromised and uncooperative patients . The clinical examination was performed at dental chair using chairside illumination . All teeth surfaces were examined , but observations were recorded by tooth . The teeth were blown dry , and the status of each tooth surface was examined with a CPITN probe and combined into one recording , by tooth , as follows : sound or decayed . A tooth was recorded as decayed if there was evidence of
carious lesion clearly extending to dentin . Prevalence of caries was defined as percentages of those subjects with one or more teeth with caries ( DT ), and as mean values of DT . The Clinical attachment loss ( CAL ) was measured in all teeth excluding third molars . Probing was performed at four surfaces ( distobuccal , mid-buccal , midoral , and mesiooral ). Teeth with a CAL of ≥1mm indicated periodontal disease ( PD ), with 1-2mm as mild periodontitis , 3-4mm as moderate periodontitis , ≥5mm indicated severe PD . The prevalence of periodontal disease was defined as the percentage of those having one or more teeth with a Clinical attachment loss ( CAL ) of at least 1mm . In addition , the proportional number of teeth with a CAL of at least 1mm was calculated ( number of teeth with a CAL of at least 1 mm / number of all teeth ).
Statistical analysis
Descriptive statistics including means , estimated standard errors , and frequency tables were produced for number of diseased teeth in subjects , and percentage of subjects with such teeth and comparison for more than two groups ( analysis of variance-one way classification ). The differences in frequencies between groups were defined by the Pearson Chi-Square test . A P-value of < 0.01 was considered to be statistically significant .
Results
A total of 400 subjects aged above 25 years of both sexes ( 257 males and 143 females ) were included in the study . Altogether , 85.6 % of the subjects had periodontal disease , 32.8 %, 19.8 % and 33 % had a severe , moderate and mild periodontal disease respectively and 93 % had dental caries . All of these findings were more prevalent in men than in women ( Table 2 , graph 2 ).
3 14 Vol . 12 No . 23 May-August Sept-Dec 2016