Social gradients in periodontal diseases among adolescents

Objective: To investigate the association between socioeconomic position and periodontal diseases among adolescents. Methods: Data were obtained from 9203 Chilean high school students. Clinical examinations included direct recordings of clinical attachment level and the necrotizing ulcerative gingival lesions. Students answered a questionnaire on various dimensions of socioeconomic position. Seven periodontal outcomes were analyzed. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify socioeconomic variables associated with the periodontal outcomes. Results: The occurrence of all periodontal outcomes investigated followed social gradients, and paternal income and parental education were the most influential variables. Conclusions: The study demonstrates the existence of significant social gradients in periodontal diseases already among adolescents. This is worrying, and indicates a new potential for further insight into the mechanisms of periodontal disease causation.