Prevalence of periodontal disease in an active duty military population as indicated by an experimental periodontal index.

An experimental periodontal screening examination and index was used to measure the prevalence of gingivitis and periodontitis among 1,334 soldiers at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Although 12.1% of the subjects demonstrated no disease, 40.3% were found to have gingivitis. In this sample group, the occurrence of gingivitis decreased with increasing age. Early periodontitis (probing depths of 3-5 mm) was detected in 35.7% of the subjects, and subjects with moderate to advanced periodontitis (probing depths greater than 5 mm) comprised 11.9% of the sample. The screening exam used is suggested for use as part of each soldier's annual dental examination.