Plaque, caries, periodontal diseases, and acculturation among Yanomamoe Indians, Venezuela
- Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor
The number of DM and d teeth and surfaces was recorded for 220 Yanomamoe Indians from three groups of villages with different degrees of contact with Western culture. Specimens of plaque were taken from the teeth, transported in a holding solution, cultured, and examined for specific oral streptococci. In addition, the periodontal health and oral hygiene of one group of villagers were assessed using the Russell PI and the Greene and Vermillion OHIS. Caries experience among the Yanomamoe was shown to be positively associated with exposure to Western culture. S. mutans was recovered with about the same frequency from specimens taken from the teeth of Indians living at all three village locations. However, the presence of S. mutans alone did not account for the disparity in dental caries scores. The examinees had abundant and persistent accumulations of soft deposits on their teeth accompanied by markedly inflamed gingival tissues. However, periodontal pockets and loss of appreciable amounts of bone did not appear as early in life nor were they as severe as reported for some other populations which practice little oral hygiene. Those disparities in the distribution of plaque-induced oral diseases between Western populations and the Yanomamoe warrant further study.
- OSTI ID:
- 6930272
- Journal Information:
- Community Dent. Oral Epidemiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Community Dent. Oral Epidemiol.; (United States) Vol. 5; ISSN CDOEA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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