The Oral Hygiene Index is a method for classifying the oral hygiene status of a patient. It can be used over time to monitor progress in corrective interventions.
Dental segments:
(1) upper right posterior: distal to the right cuspid on the maxillary arch
(2) upper anterior: mesial to the right and left first bicuspids on the maxillary arch
(3) upper left posterior: distal to the left cuspid on the maxillary arch
(4) lower right posterior: distal to the right cuspid on the mandibular arch
(5) lower anterior: mesial to the right and left first bicuspids on the mandibular arch
(6) lower left posterior: distal to the left cuspid on the mandibular arch
Surfaces on each segment:
(1) buccal (outer)
(2) lingual (inner)
Evaluating teeth:
(1) Only fully erupted (occlusal and incisal surface has reached the occlusal plane) permanent teeth are scored.
(2) Third molars and incompletely erupted teeth are not scored because of the wide variations in heights of clinical crowns.
(3) The buccal and lingual debris scores are both taken on the tooth in a segment having the greatest surface area covered by debris.
(4) The buccal and lingual calculus scores are both taken on the tooth in a segment having the greatest surface area covered by supragingival and subgingival calculus.
|
Grading Debris |
Points |
|---|---|
|
no debris or stain present |
0 |
|
soft debris covering not more than one third of the tooth surface, AND/OR the presence of extrinsic stain without other debris regardless of surface area covered |
1 |
|
soft debris covering more than one third, but not more than two thirds, of the exposed tooth surface |
2 |
|
soft debris covering more than two thirds of the exposed tooth surface |
3 |
debris index =
= (SUM(points along buccal surface for all segments present) + SUM(points along lingual surface of all segments present)) / (number of segments present)
|
Grading Calculus |
Points |
|---|---|
|
no calculus present |
0 |
|
supragingival calculus covering not more than one third of the exposed tooth surface |
1 |
|
supragingival calculus covering more than one third but not more than two thirds of the exposed tooth surface, AND/OR the presence of individual flecks of subgingival calculus around the cervical portion of the tooth |
2 |
|
supragingival calculus covering more than two thirds of the exposed tooth surface AND/OR a continuous heavy band of subgingival calculus around the cervical portion of the tooth |
3 |
calculus index =
= (SUM(points along buccal surface for all segments present) + SUM(points along lingual surface of all segments present)) / (number of segments present)
oral hygiene index =
= (debris index) + (calculus index)
Interpretation:
• The minimum number of points for all segments in either the debris or calculus portions is 0.
• The maximum number of points for all segments in either the debris or calculus score is 36.
• Since there are up to 6 segments, the individual indices range from 0 to 6.
• Since the oral hygiene index is the sum of the two indices, its range of values is from 0 to 12.
• The higher the score, the poorer the oral hygiene.
Purpose: To classify the oral hygiene status for a patient using the oral hygiene index.
Specialty: Otolaryngology
Objective: clinical diagnosis, including family history for genetics, criteria for diagnosis, severity, prognosis, stage
ICD-10: K00-K14,
