Dental Caries and Gingivitis in Males 17 to 20 Years Old (At the Great Lakes Naval Training Center)

Abstract

Examination of 4043 white male naval inductees, 17-20 yrs. of age, from various areas in the U. S. showed them to experience an avg. of 11.3 DMF teeth and 25.2 DMF tooth surfaces per person and an avg. of 5.2 PMA gingival units affected per person. No correlation either positive or negative could be demonstrated between gingivitis and dental caries experience in this sample of young adult males. This does not negate the necessity for further study of the relationship between caries and periodontal disease in persons in older age groups.