Summary

This prospective study sample consisted of 261 Nigerians made up of 155 diabetics seen at the medical outpatient clinic of Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos and general hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria and 106 health controls randomly selected. The subjects were required to complete a questionnaire containing the biographic data and occupation, and assessment of their knowledge, attitude and practice towards periodontal health and utilisation of appropriate professional care. They were then examined and assessed using the CPITN code. Their ages ranged from 5 to 65 years.
Close to three-quarters of the subjects (73.5% for diabetics and 74.5% for controls) were 45 years or older. Furthermore, 6% of the low skilled diabetics new about periodontal disease while only 27.2% of those in the medium and highly skilled group had some knowledge of periodontal disease. This relationship was found to be statistically significant (X2 = 12-22 ; df = 2, p < 0.05). Similarly, statistically significant relationship was demonstrated between diabetics and controls with regards to knowledge about the demonstrated between diabetic and controls with regards to knowledge about the cause/s of periodontal disease and awareness of gum bleeding. 73.6% of the controls had never been to the dentist before unlike 62.1% of diabetics. All subjects in either group who claimed not to bleed scored at least the minimum on the CPITN code. While 52.3% of diabetics and 22.5% of control had a CPITN score of 2,54 % of those in the control group and 30% of diabetics recorded a score of 3 on the CPITN code.
In conclusion, the level of awareness of periodontal disease is quite low amongst both groups, hence there is a need to promote periodontal health awareness in the general populace as well as clinics.

Résumé