[Prevalence of aggressive periodontitis in adolescents and young adults from Vale do Paraíba].

The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of localized and generalized aggressive periodontitis, as well as of incidental attachment loss, in a population of adolescents and young adults aging between 15 and 25 years (19.4 +/- 3.44) from Vale do Paraíba - SP, who searched for general dental care at the Department of Dentistry, University of Taubaté, São Paulo. Six hundred patients, 244 male and 356 female subjects, were included in the studied sample. The periodontal status of this population was evaluated by measuring the depth of periodontal pockets, as well as attachment loss. The data were confirmed by means of radiographic examination. Measurements were performed in six sites per tooth. Ten subjects (1.66%) were diagnosed as having localized aggressive periodontitis, 2 males (aging 18.5 +/- 2.12 years) and 8 females (aging 19.2 +/- 3.91 years); 22 (3.66%) presented with generalized aggressive periodontitis, 6 males (aging 19.1 +/- 3.06 years) and 16 females (aging 20.1 +/- 2.71 years); and 86 individuals (14.3%) presented with incipient periodontitis, 29 males (aging 20.2 +/- 2.87 years) and 57 females (aging 21.1 +/- 2.79 years). There was a positive correlation between the female gender and the occurrence of periodontal disease.