Assessment of Periodontal Disease Prevalence Among Adults Attending a Tertiary Hospital in Plateau State

Periodontal disease is a major cause of tooth loss in Nigerian adults, and its clinical documentation in teaching hospital populations provides important baseline data for preventive dentistry planning. This study assessed the prevalence and severity of periodontal disease among adults attending the dental clinic at Jos University Teaching Hospital, Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. A cross-sectional clinical study was conducted among 300 new dental patients aged 18 to 65 years. Periodontal assessment was performed using the Community Periodontal Index, recording bleeding on probing, calculus deposits, shallow pocketing (4 to 5 mm), and deep pocketing (6 mm or more). Data on oral hygiene practices, tobacco use, diabetes history, and dental visit frequency were collected through structured interviews. Results showed that 78.3 percent of participants had at least one abnormal periodontal finding. Calculus deposits were the most common finding (67.0 percent), followed by shallow pocketing (31.3 percent). Tobacco users demonstrated significantly worse periodontal status than non-users (p < 0.001). Diabetic patients showed significantly higher deep pocketing rates. Dental visits less than once in two years were associated with significantly worse periodontal scores. The majority of participants had never received professional scaling and polishing. The study concludes that periodontal disease is highly prevalent among adults in this setting, driven by inadequate preventive dental care. Recommendations include routine periodontal screening, tobacco cessation programmes, and subsidised scaling services at teaching hospitals across North Central Nigeria. Keywords: periodontal disease, Community Periodontal Index, adults, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Plateau State