Five-year change of periodontal diseases in the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP).

AIM

To assess the extent of remission and progression of periodontal diseases among adults in a Northeast German Region.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) is a population-based cohort study with baseline examinations conducted in 1997-2001 and 5-year-follow-up in 2002-2006. The study comprised 2558 subjects aged 20-81 years. Periodontal status was assessed by probing depth (PD) and attachment level (AL), measured at four surfaces per tooth, half-mouth. An event was defined as AL progression or remission of ≥3 mm on ≥2 sites.

RESULTS

Average change in mean AL (mean PD) was 0.10 mm (-0.05 mm) during follow-up, equalling 0.02 mm/year (-0.01 mm/year). Adjusted for gender and follow-up time, change in mean AL was significantly higher in 20-29- and 60-69-year-old patients compared with 50-59-year-old patients (p < 0.05). 6.5 (7.5) events of progression (remission) in AL per 100 person-years were observed. In multivariate models, risk factors for progression comprised current smoking, middle or low education, being single or divorced and diabetes (p < 0.05). Enhanced progressive attachment loss seen in 20-29- and 60-81-year-old patients was explained through unfavourable risk factors distributions.

CONCLUSIONS

Periodontal progression was moderate. Periodontal prophylaxis and motivation to reduce risk factors should especially be addressed to patients having unfavourable risk factor distributions.