The Prevalence of Gingivitis in School Student Age 9-12 Years at Biting 01 Elementary School, Arjasa Agroindustrial Region, Jember District

Abstract

Elementary school-age children experience gingivitis due to minimal knowledge and awareness about dental and oral hygiene, which can cause plaque formation. Gingivitis in children can also be influenced by bad habits that usually occur in children, such as chewing on one side and breathing through the mouth. Based on basic health research in Indonesia in 2013, gingivitis in children under 12 years old was found to be 80%. This research was an observational study with descriptive research using a cross-sectional design (cross-sectional study). Data is calculated using the prevalence formula, and gingivitis examination uses the gingival index. The plaque index is used to determine the appearance of plaque as one of the etiologies of gingivitis and the questionnaire is used to determine other causes of gingivitis in children. The results showed that the prevalence of gingivitis based on severity was the highest, which were mild gingivitis at 36.3%, and moderate gingivitis at 40.9%. The prevalence of gingivitis based on age is highest among 12- year-olds with 30.3%. The prevalence of gingivitis based on gender is mostly experienced by men at 43.9%. The etiology of gingivitis in this study was most influenced by plaque which was measured by the plaque index.