Periodontal treatment needs in 12 and 15 to 19-year-old school children in the Caribbean Island of Antigua, 1990.

A national survey was undertaken in 1990 to investigate the periodontal treatment needs in 12 and 15 to 19-year-olds residing in urban and rural areas of Antigua. Using the CPITN procedure, examination of 246 12 year-old children and 456 adolescents (15-19 years) revealed that the CPITN scores of healthy, gingival bleeding, calculus, 4 or 5 mm and > or = 6 mm periodontal pockets were distributed similarly in urban and rural areas. Calculus was the most commonly recorded score, with a prevalence of 46% in 12-year-olds and 56% in 15-19 year-olds. 4 or 5 mm pockets were found in 14% of adolescents, affecting on average less than one sextant per subject, but deep pockets were uncommon, 26% of 12-year-olds and 14% of adolescents had periodontally healthy mouths. Scaling and oral hygiene instruction were the predominant treatment needs in both age groups, but the requirement for complex periodontal care in adolescents was low -3% only.