An Approach to Assess Early Detection of Periodontal Disease in Young and Adult Individuals in Colombia for Prevention

Aim: Studies have shown that the prevalence of the periodontal disease among young people is relatively low; however, periodontitis is a public health problem and prevalence among adults has been increasing. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of periodontitis among young adults and adults in Colombia and to propose an alternative approach for early detection of periodontitis. Objectives: To present an alternative approach for the prevention of periodontitis, two different classifications were used to estimate disease prevalence. In addition, periodontitis severity was associated with sociodemographic and clinical risk factors in a logistic regression model. Material and methods: Selected data from 9150 subjects evaluated in the IV National Oral Health Survey (ENSAB IV) from Colombia were used. The ages ranged from 18 to 79 years old. Statistical analysis: Data were subjected to two different disease definition criteria and were evaluated by bivariate and multivariate analysis using a p-value of 5%. Results: The alternative classification approach elucidated an increase in the prevalence of periodontitis in young individuals (26.1%). According to the previous classification, 20.1% of young individuals and 94.3% of adults had mild to moderate periodontitis. The prevalence of moderate and severe cases was similar. Multivariate analysis of the variables age, gender, enrolment in the subsidized socioeconomic program and health care system, and tooth loss were associated with moderate and severe periodontitis (p<0.05). Conclusions: The early identification of mild cases in young individuals may help to identify potentially vulnerable groups. Early diagnosis of periodontitis and timely intervention in individuals with gingivitis, especially for those presenting risk factors, should be reinforced as an alternative approach to prevent disease progression and reduce the prevalence of adults with periodontitis in the future.