GINGIVAL RECESSION, ORAL HYGIENE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG TANZANIAN WOMEN

Abstract

Background: Females are generally more motivated with regard to oral hygiene practices andthus brush their teeth more frequently than males.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of gingival recession, oral hygiene status, oral hygienepractices and associated factors in women attending a maternity ward in Tanzania.

Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study.

Setting: Maternity ward of Muhimbili National Hospital, Tanzania.

Subjects: Four hundred and forty six women were interviewed on oral hygiene practicesand maternal factors, and a full-mouth examination was done to determine the presence ofplaque, calculus, gingival bleeding and gingival recession at six sites per tooth.

Results: The prevalence of gingival recession (GR) > 1mm was 33.6%, calculus 99.3%,plaque 100%, and gingival bleeding 100%. Oral hygiene practices included toothbrushing(98.9%), brushing frequency >2 times/day (61.2%), horizontal brushing method (98%), andusing a plastic toothbrush (97.8%). Factors that were significantly associated with gingivalrecession were age (ORa=2.0, 95% CI=1.3-3.2), presence of calculus (ORa=3.8, 95% CI=2.5-7.1),and gingival bleeding on probing (ORa=4.2, 95% CI=2.5-7.1). Tooth cleaning practices andmaternal factors, especially the number of pregnancies or deliveries were not significantlyassociated with gingival recession.

Conclusion: In this study population, oral hygiene was poor and gingival recession wasassociated with age, calculus and gingival inflammation rather than with tooth cleaningpractices.