The distribution of plaque and gingivitis and the influence of toothbrushing hand in a group of South Wales 11–12 year-old children

Numerous factors may affect the distribution of plaque and gingivitis in any individuals mouth. Of considerable importance must be the oral hygiene habits of each person, which will be influenced by compliance and dexterity with tooth cleaning methods. The pattern of gingivitis seen at a young age may, with time, reflect the eventual distribution of attachment loss. This in part, could explain the considerable variation in chronic periodontal disease seen between individuals and at different sites within the same mouth. This study reports the baseline data for the distribution of plaque and gingivitis in 1105, 11-12-year-old children in South Wales. The children were selected by disproportionate stratified random sampling and examined by a multidisciplinary group with the long-term aim of evaluating the importance of malocclusion to dental health and psychosocial variables. Toothbrushing frequency had a very low but significant correlation with the distribution of plaque and gingivitis, accounting therefore for only a small % of the variance in the group. For the total group and right-handed toothbrushers, buccal plaque and gingivitis was significantly increased on right contralateral teeth. No specific pattern for plaque and gingivitis distribution by side was seen for 100 left-handed toothbrushers. Plaque and gingivitis also showed significant differences dependent upon arch, tooth number, and surface. The population is being followed at 4-year intervals to monitor the pattern of periodontal disease with time and correlate changes with these baseline findings.