GINGIVAL RECESSION AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH CALCULUS IN SUBJECTS DEPRIVED OF PROPHYLACTIC DENTAL-CARE

This paper describes the prevalence and severity of gingival recession in Tanzanian adults covering the age range from 20 to 64 years. In ad dition, it attempts to assess the relationship between the degree of g ingival recession and the presence and amount of calculus. In the 20-3 4 years age group recession occurred in greater than or equal to 32% o f the buccal, greater than or equal to 25% of the lingual, and greater than or equal to 13% of the approximal surfaces. These %s increased t o greater than or equal to 64%, greater than or equal to 52%, and grea ter than or equal to 48%, respectively, in the 45-64 years age group. In the 20-34 years age group, lingual surfaces of mandibular incisors and canines followed by buccal surfaces of these teeth were the sites most severely affected with gingival recession. With increasing age, a ll sites became gradually more severely affected, particularly the buc cal and lingual surfaces of the maxillary first molar. The lingual sur faces of mandibular incisors exhibited on an average 1.3 mm, 2.4 mm an d 3.2 mm recession in the 20-34 years, 35-44 years and 45-64 years age group, respectively. Most of the correlation coefficients between gin gival recession and calculus at the individual tooth surface in three age groups were statistically significant. The highest correlation coe fficients (0.50-0.67) were found in the youngest (20-34 years) age gro up at the lingual surfaces of the mandibular incisors, canine and firs t premolar and at the buccal surfaces of the mandibular incisors. Base d on these findings, the working hypothesis is advanced that longstand ing calculus is an important determinant in the onset of gingival rece ssion at sites exhibiting pronounced recession at a young age in popul ations deprived of prophylactic dental care.