Assessment of the periodontal health of police officers at the University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Abstract

Introduction

The profession of law enforcement involves demanding working conditions and schedules, which may lead to psychological stress, lifestyle modifications and neglect of oral hygiene. These factors can negatively affect the periodontal health of police officers.

Purpose

This study aimed to assess the periodontal health of police officers at the University of Kinshasa (POUK), with particular attention to oral hygiene practices and lifestyle factors, including smoking.

Methods

This descriptive cross-sectional study involved POUK officers aged 18 years and above and was conducted over two years and six months. Each participant underwent an interview followed by a periodontal clinical examination performed by a single trained and calibrated examiner. Plaque Index (PI), Bleeding on Probing (BOP), Pocket Depth (PD) and Clinical Attachment Loss (CAL) were recorded and assessed. Intra-examiner reliability was verified to ensure consistency. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were carried out using IBM SPSS version 20.0, applying a 95% confidence interval.

Results

Of the 240 POUK officers examined, 96.3% were men and 3.8% were women, with most aged between 30 and 40 years. All officers (100%) reported practising oral hygiene, and 97.9% used a manufactured toothbrush. A total of 77.9% brushed their teeth once daily. More than half (53.3%) used hard-bristle toothbrushes, and 81.7% used the horizontal brushing technique. None reported using adjunctive oral hygiene measures. Mean CAL and PPD were 1.3 mm and 5 mm, respectively. Mean PI and BOP were 70.5% and 23.1%, respectively. Overall, 63.7% had a CPI score of 3. There was a strong association between periodontal disease and smoking (Χ² = 43.444, p < 0.001), as well as poor oral hygiene (Χ² = 14.594, p = 0.002).

Conclusion

A high prevalence of periodontal disease and inadequate oral hygiene practices were observed among police officers at the University of Kinshasa. These findings highlight the need for oral health education and targeted periodontal disease control programmes to improve oral health and enhance the performance of police personnel.