Gingival recession in schoolchildren at 7, 12 and 17 years of age in Espoo, Finland.

The present study was undertaken in response to a growing concern among clinicians about an increase in gingival recession among children and adolescents. Groups of 50 boys and 50 girls aged respectively 7, 12, and 17 yr were examined at Espoo Health Centre in 1983. Gingival recession was measured on the facial and lingual aspects of all permanent teeth. Whenever the gingival margin was located on root cementum, the distance from the gingival margin to the enamel border was measured to the nearest 0.5 mm. Recession was categorized as "slight" (0.5 or 1 mm) or "extensive" (1.5-3.5 mm). The prevalence of gingival recession was 5% at 7 yr, 39% at 12 yr, and 74% at 17 yr of age. More girls than boys had recession in the two youngest age groups. At 17 yr recession was equally common in both sexes and both "slight" and "extensive" recession was most often recorded on facial surfaces of first molars, premolars and canines. The alarmingly high prevalence of gingival recession at young age warrants further study of both the reasons and the consequences of early cementum exposure.