Prevalencia de periodontitis crónica en Iberoamérica

Abstract

The prevalence of periodontal diseases is high, and is related to oral biofilm and other risk factors such as age, smoking, diabetes, hereditary factors, etc.

Objective

The objective of this review was to examine studies on the prevalence of chronic periodontitis in Latin America.

Methods

A search was conducted for cross sectional and cohort studies to determine the prevalence of chronic periodontitis in Latin America. The clinical features of the periodontal diseases used for diagnosis in epidemiologic studies were identified, such as clinical probing depth, clinical attachment level, and bleeding on probing. An analysis was also performed on the periodontal indices used.

Results

Although consensus criteria have been formed to unify the case definition of periodontitis, they are not always used in studies of periodontal disease prevalence. For this reason the comparison between different studies is difficult. The evidence on the prevalence of periodontitis in Latin America found in PubMed and other Scientific data bases is limited. Only in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Spain, Dominican Republic and Guatemala was it possible to find information. There are few population studies in Latin America, and the diagnostic criteria used are heterogeneous. It was not possible to perform a meta-analysis. All this makes it difficult to make an accurate comparison between countries. Also, some studies use indices that are not currently recognised in periodontal consensus in order to determine the true prevalence of periodontal diseases (Community Periodontal Index).

Conclusion

Most studies show that the prevalence of chronic periodontitis in Latin America is high, and the extent and severity of insertion loss and increased probing depth increases with age.