Assessment of Periodontal Status of Konda Reddy Tribe in Bhadrachalam, Khammam District, India.

Background: Though great strides have been taken globally in the fight against oral diseases, problems persist especially among poor, disadvantaged and socially marginalised communities like tribes. Konda Reddies are one of the most primitive tribes of Bhadrachalam who because of their isolation, inaccessibility to dental resources and lack of dental knowledge follow traditional methods of oral hygiene practices, which are found to be inadequate to maintain oral health. Aim and Objectives: To assess the periodontal status of Konda reddy tribes residing in Bhadrachalam of Khammam district, India. Materials and Methods: Based on availability and accessibility the tribes were gathered using convenient sampling method. The total study population consisted of 500 subjects. Using a preformed Performa the oral hygiene practices and periodontal status was recorded using CPI index. Results: The total study population was 500, comprising of 225 males and 275 females in the age group ranging from 20-> 70 years. The mean number of sextants with healthy condition were 0.04 +/- 0.19; calculus 4.69 +/- 1.21; pockets 4-5 mm 0.91 +/- 0.91 and pockets > 6mm 0.02 +/- 0.15. Conclusion: Poor oral hygiene and periodontal status was seen among the tribes. Under these circumstances, the implementation of a basic oral health care programme for these tribes is a high priority.