Prevalence of juvenile periodontitis in schoolchildren in Lagos, Nigeria.

The aim of this survey was to study the prevalence of juvenile periodontitis in schoolchildren aged 12-19 yr in Lagos, Nigeria. 1001 children, 565 boys and 436 girls, took part in the study. Initially all the children were screened clinically at school according to the recommendations of CPITN. A mirror and WHO 621 pattern probe were used for this examination. Any child with two or more sextants or teeth with CPITN code 3 or one sextant code 4 was taken for a radiographic and full clinical examination. Only 19 children, 12 boys and seven girls, fulfilled these requirements. Of these 19 children, five boys and three girls showed radiographic evidence of bone loss as well as increased probing depths, and were diagnosed as having juvenile periodontitis. The other children showed no evidence of bone loss radiographically, despite maximum probing depths of 4-5 mm. The results indicate a prevalence of juvenile periodontitis of 0.8% in this Negro population.