Periodontal disease among public dental patients

Periodontal diseases comprise a group of inflammatory diseases that affect the gums, deeper connective tissues and jaw bone, all of which support the teeth (AIHW 2000). Periodontal diseases have been estimated to be among the most prevalent health problems in Australia (AIHW 2000). This report describes the peridontal status of public health patients by age, sex and type of visit based on a total of 2,746 dental patients who were examined by the dental authorities in four States/Territories of Australia, providing a representative sample of the public dental patients they treated during the 2001-02 period.