Periodontal Status of Green Marble Mine Labourers in Kesariyaji, Rajasthan, India

Aims: The purpose of the present study was to assess the prevalence and pattern of periodontal disease among green marble mine labourers and to use the data to provide a baseline for planning and evaluation of oral health care. Materials and Methods: The study area was located in the Udaipur district of Rajasthan, India, divided into four geographical zones: Masoron ki ovri, Rushabhdev, Khandiovri and Kagdar Bhatiya. This study comprised 513 male subjects in four age groups (18 to 25, 26 to 34, 35 to 44 and > 45 years) collected using the stratified cluster sampling method. The data were collected by World Heath Organization (WHO) oral health assessment form, and clinical examination was conducted by the methods recommended by the WHO oral health surveys. There were three examiners, all of whom were calibrated before the survey for inter-examiner variability. The reliability was tested by means of weighted kappa statistics, which were 89% for periodontal data. Data were statistically analysed using SPSS/PC+ (SPSS software, Illinois, USA). Results: The prevalence of periodontal disease was found to be 98.2%. Bleeding on probing and calculus were widespread. The mean number of healthy sextants decreased abruptly with an increase in age. The greatest periodontal destruction was manifested in the 35 to 44-year-old age group, with 0.4 sextants having deep pocket probing depths. Conclusions: The present level and pattern of periodontal disease in marble mine workers is severe, and the implementation of oral health promotion and prevention is urgently needed. Keywords: community periodontal index, marble mine labourers, periodontal status