Objectives: The 6th German Oral Health Study (DMS • 6) reports on the periodontal status in population-based cohorts of younger adults (35- to 44-year-olds) and younger seniors (65- to 74-year-olds).
Method and materials: Participants answered questionnaires regarding oral health behavior, and general and oral health status. Probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and bleeding on probing (BOP) were measured on all teeth except third molars. Number of teeth, BOP, mean PD, mean CAL, the stages of the 2018 classification of periodontal diseases, the prevalence of Community Periodontal Index (CPI), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/ American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) case definition were reported.
Results: In total, 9.2%/20.6% of younger adults/younger seniors had a low education status, 25.6%/14.1% of younger adults/younger seniors were current smokers, and 2.1%/15.4% of younger adults/younger seniors had type 2 diabetes. Of all younger adults/younger seniors, 24.4%/38.7% stated that they performed interdental cleaning at least daily. The mean number of teeth in dentate younger adults/younger seniors was 26.6/20.4, of which 5.6/8.3 teeth had PD ≥ 4 mm and only 0.6/1.7 teeth had PD ≥ 6 mm. The mean number of teeth with CAL ≥ 5 mm was 1.1/3.6 in younger adults/younger seniors. Mean PD in younger adults/younger seniors was 2.1 mm/ 2.6 mm; correspondingly, mean CAL was 1.1 mm/2.4 mm. A CPI score of 4 occurred in 16.2%/42.4% of younger adults/younger seniors. In total, 13.6%/26.3% of younger adults/younger seniors were classified as having stage III periodontitis, while 3.9% and 26.4% were classified as having stage IV periodontitis according to the 2018 case classification, respectively.
Conclusion: The periodontitis prevalence according to the 2018 classification (including all stages) was very high at 95.1%/85.2% in younger adults/younger seniors. In total, 31.6%/8.3% of younger adults/younger seniors were classified as stage I (ie, interdental CAL 1 to 2 mm), which, from a clinical point of view, appears to be a transitional phase between gingivitis and periodontitis, which can probably be managed with preventive rather than therapeutic measures. In younger adults and younger seniors, the prevalence of periodontitis in Germany is high, with severe periodontitis (stages III and IV) in 17.5%/52.7% of younger adults/younger seniors.