Plaque, caries, periodontal diseases, and acculturation among Yanomamö Indians, Venezuela

Abstract

The number of DM [decayed and missing] and d [decayed] teeth and surfaces was recorded for 220 Yanomamo Indians from 3 groups of villages with different degrees of contact with Western culture. Specimens of plaque were taken from the teeth, transported in a holding solution, cultured and examined for specific oral streptococci. In addition, the periodontal health and oral hygiene of 1 group of villagers were assessed using the Russell PI [plaque index] and the Greene and Vermillion OHIS [a simplified oral hygiene index]. Caries experience among the Yanomamo was positively associated with exposure to Western culture. Streptococcus mutans was recovered with about the same frequency from specimens taken from the teeth of Indians living at all 3 village locations. The presence of S. mutans alone did not account for the disparity in dental caries scores. The examinees had abundant and persistent accumulations of soft deposits on their teeth accompanied by markedly inflamed gingival tissues. Periodontal pockets and loss of appreciable amounts of bone did not appear as early in life nor were they as severe as reported for some other populations which practice little oral hygiene. Those disparities in the distribution of plaque-induced oral diseases between Western populations and the Yanomamo warrant further study.