Prevalence of Periodontal Diseases in India

Abstract

ABSTRACT Periodontal diseases, dental caries, malocclusion and oral cancer are among the most prevalent dental diseases affecting people worldwide as well as in Indian community. There is no national oral health data bank in India which reflects the prevalence of different oral diseases and risk factors responsible for them. No national oral health survey has been conducted in the country till date. Prevalence of disease is the key factor for effective and sound oral health care planning. Some cross sectional surveys has been conducted in various regions of the country at local level but those observations cannot be generalized for the whole community because of the great diversity in composition of Indian populations e.g. literacy rate in Kerala is more than 90% and in Bihar it is about 40%. Males are more literate than females. 70% of the population in India continues to live in rural areas. Different cross sectional surveys or studies showing prevalence of periodontal diseases mainly in the last twenty years have been collected from different sources and compiled in this article to give a comprehensive outlook of the present status and scenario of periodontal diseases in different population of Indian community.