Objective:

The periodontal status is important for treatment planning. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the periodontal status and to explore the relationship between demographic and socio-economic data and smoking and systemic health and oral hygiene habits of subjects who attended Ege University School of Dentistry.

Methods:

All subjects were interviewed with a structured questionnaire. Gender, educational status, income profit, smoking habits, systemic problems, dental treatment frequency, and oral hygiene habits were recorded using this questionnaire. The periodontal status was evaluated by CPITN and plaque and gingival indexes. Data were analyzed using a statistical program.

Results:

When periodontal conditions were investigated, 69.5% of the subjects had gingivitis and 30.5% had periodontitis. The tooth brushing habits and frequency of replacing a new toothbrush were significantly different between the gingivitis and periodontitis groups (p<0.05). CPI values negatively correlated with financial income and education level (p<0.05). A positive correlation was observed between the level of education and number of existed teeth (p<0.001).

Conclusion:

According to our results, subjects showed poor periodontal health and a lack of oral hygiene habits. Our results showed an extremely high demand for periodontal health service programs. The present study indicates a need for oral health promotion including health education along with oral healthcare service provision.

Keywords: Periodontal diseases, oral health, oral hygiene