[Assessment of the condition of the parodontium in children aged 12 years using the parodontal treatment needs index].

The purpose of the study was an evaluation of the status of the parodontium and the needs for parodontal disease treatment using the index of treatment needs. The condition of the parodontium was assessed in 180 children aged 12 years in Warsaw, Sulejówek and the Wiazowna Communitty, 60 children from each population. The examinations were carried out in school stomatological offices using a calibrated probe as recommended by the WHO. In the results of the examinations the following parameters were considered: 1) the per cent of children with the highest recorded code value, 2) the mean number of sextants designated H, B, C, X per one child, 3) the needs for parodontal disease treatment. The examination showed that the per cent of children with healthy parodontium was 18.9%, with bleeding--63.3%, with tartar--17.8%, three healthy sextants were found as a mean per one child, 2.7 sextants with bleeding, 0.3 with tartar. The needs for treatment of parodontal diseases in these 12-year-old children were as follows: 81.1% required improved oral hygiene, 17.8% required also tartar removal. The least needs were found in the Warsaw children (61.7%) and the highest in Wiazowna Community children (91.7%).