ArticleAnnals of Saudi medicine
Gingival health and oral hygiene practices among high school children in Saudi Arabia.
Article in Annals of Saudi medicine. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 32 citations in OpenAlex.
- Health of school-age children and adolescents in Saudi Arabia: a systematic review.BMC public health · 2026Pooled it
- Oral Health Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Among Male Primary School Students in Saudi Arabia: A School-Based Cross-Sectional Study.Dentistry journal · 2026Article
- Low-Level Laser Therapy for Gingival Inflammation in Children and Adolescents: A Narrative Review Based on In Vitro, In Vivo and Clinical Studies.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Association between Pediatric Obesity and Periodontal Health: A Systematic Review.International journal of clinical pediatric dentistry · 2026Review
- Shared Social Determinants and Aggregated Risk Behaviours Associated with Self-Rated Oral Health Among Schoolchildren in Jazan, Saudi Arabia.Risk management and healthcare policy · 2026Article
- Association between receiving thePeerJ · 2025Article
- Gingivitis in children and adolescents: epidemiological overview and associated factors-A narrative review.Frontiers in oral health · 2025Review
- Review
- Article
- Unraveling the Link between Periodontitis and Coronavirus Disease 2019: Exploring Pathogenic Pathways and Clinical Implications.Biomedicines · 2023Review
- Socioeconomic Inequalities and Toothbrushing Frequency among Schoolchildren Aged 6 to 12 Years in a Multi-Site Study of Mexican Cities: A Cross-Sectional Study.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- Correlation between BMI and Oral Health Status (DMFT, PI, mSBI, and Salivary 1,5-AG) among the Pediatric Population in Saudi Arabia: A Clinico-Biochemical Study.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- Dental Visits and Predictors of Regular Attendance Among Female Schoolchildren in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dentistry · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundGingivitis is a site-specific inflammatory condition initiated by dental biofilm accumulation. The accumulation of dental plaque on the gingival margin triggers inflammatory effects that can become chronic. In addition to its local effect, gingival inflammation has recently been suggested to have an impact on general health.
objectiveDetermine the prevalence of gingivitis and its relationship to oral hygiene practices in high school children in Saudi Arabia.
designCross-sectional.
settingHigh schools from different regions in Saudi Arabia. PATIENTS AND
methodsPeriodontal examinations were conducted on a randomly selected sample of high school children between the ages of 15 and 19 years. Gingival and plaque indices, probing depth, clinical attachment level, oral hygiene practices and sociodemographic characteristics were recorded. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square and the independent t test.
main outcome measurePrevalence of gingivitis as defined by mean gingival index. SAMPLE SIZE: 2435 high school students.
resultsTwenty-one percent of the sample had slight gingivitis, 42.3% had moderate, and 1.8% had severe. Gender, toothbrushing, tongue brushing, plaque index, and the percentage of pocket depth (PD) ≥4 mm showed a significant relationship with the severity of gingivitis. Almost 39.3% of females had a healthy periodontal status when compared to males (30.7%). Thirty-five percent (35.5%) of students who brushed their teeth had a healthy periodontium compared to 26.9% who did not brush. The mean plaque index was significantly higher in students with severe gingivitis when compared to students with healthy periodontium (2.4 vs. 0.79, respectively).
conclusionGingivitis prevalence was high compared with Western countries in a nationally representative sample of high school students in Saudi Arabia and was influenced by oral hygiene practices. LIMITATIONS: The half-mouth study design may underestimate disease prevalence. Data on oral hygiene practices was self-reported and may thus have been affected by social desirability bias. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.
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