Quantitative cytological characterization of the gingiva in clinically healthy adolescents

Abstract

240 students aged 12-15 from the "Tomas Alba Edison" Secondary Basic School at the "10 de Octubre" municipality, were studied in order to determine the cellular exfolitation patterns in a group of adolescents with clinically sound gingiva, and to obtain reference values for early diagnosis studies of the periodontal disease through a cytological method. The periodontal health status was evaluated by using the Loe and Silmess'index. Three samples of the regions corresponding to the vestibular gingiva of tooth 16 and 17, to the vestibular gingiva of thoth 32 and 33, and to lingual gingiva of tooth 46 and 47, were taken by scrapping with a metal spatula, according to the papilla and the peripapillary area of each student. The cytological types evaluated were those proposed by Langue: superficial nucleate and anucleate cells, intermediate large cells, intermediate small cells, and basal external and internal cells. Statistically significant differences were found among the types of exfoliated cells in the three zones studied. The superficial nucleate and anucleate cells in adolescents from 12 to 15 years old did not present marked differences, but the intermediate cells did. The colour of the skin did not influence an the patterns of cellular exfoliation. There was no relations hip between the oral hygiene and the cellular exfoliation patterns. The keratinisation indexes showed little variation in the three zones. The highest value obtained was of 59,3 % in the gingiva of tooth 32 and 33.