An 8-year study of changes in oral hygiene and periodontal health during adolescence.

This study reports data collected from a cohort of 405 South Wales adolescents examined at the ages of 11-12, 15-16 and 19-20 years. Dental plaque and gingivitis scores decreased markedly between the ages of 11-12 and 15-16 years, and to a lesser extent between 15-16 and 19-20 years. There was a decrease in the mean depth of the gingival sulcus between the ages of 11-12 and 15-16 years, perhaps reflecting a decrease in false pocketing and gingival oedema associated with puberty and tooth eruption. Conversely, there was an increase in the mean depth of the gingival sulcus between the ages of 15-16 and 19-20 years, possibly indicating the initiation of periodontal breakdown and the appearance of true pocketing. Gender was found to be an important determinant of the level of oral hygiene practised, the boys having consistently poorer oral hygiene than did the girls. At the commencement of adolescence this was not reflected in higher gingivitis scores, but by the age of 15-16 years the boys exhibited significantly more gingivitis than did the girls.