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Lookup NU author(s): Professor Philip Preshaw
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© 2026 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Introduction: Gingival recession (GR) is the apical displacement of the gingival margin, while gingival abrasion (GA) is the pathologic wear of gingiva by a foreign substance/object. Both can result in exposure of the root surface and can be associated with sensitivity, caries and compromised aesthetics. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors for GR/GA among patients referred to the teaching dental clinic in Baghdad. Methods: Three hundred and seventy-two subjects diagnosed with periodontal health, gingivitis, and periodontitis were recruited. Self-reported demographic parameters including age, sex, smoking, systemic disease, occupation, education, income, brushing frequency and type of toothbrush were recorded. The number of sites with GR and their depth were also recorded. GA lesions were categorised as small (≤ 2 mm), moderate (2–5 mm), and large (> 5 mm). Results: The prevalence of GR was 42.1% with significantly greater defect depth in periodontitis cases compared to healthy individuals (3.4 ± 1.4 vs. 2.1 ± 0.9 mm, p < 0.003). The prevalence of GR was highest in lower premolar (22.2%) and maxillary canine (15.5%) sites. Large GA defects (> 5 mm) were most prevalent in periodontitis patients. Adjusted models indicated that hard-bristle toothbrush use (OR 3.19; 95% CI 1.38–7.38, p = 0.007), presence of periodontitis (OR 12.02; 95% CI 1.83–79.13, p = 0.01), and tooth type (OR 0.49; 95% CI 0.30–0.81, p = 0.005) were potential risk factors for GA and were also associated with increasing GR defect depth (R2 0.15, p < 0.001). Conclusion: GR/GA is a common oral health problem and was independently associated with the use of hard-bristle toothbrushes, tooth type, and the presence of periodontitis. However, these results should be cautiously interpreted within the context of a single-centre referral setting.
Author(s): Imran NK, Al-Sharqi AJB, Abdulkareem AA, Gul SS, Preshaw PM
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: International Journal of Dental Hygiene
Year: 2026
Pages: Epub ahead of print
Online publication date: 18/07/2026
Acceptance date: 07/07/2026
ISSN (print): 1601-5029
ISSN (electronic): 1601-5037
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Inc.
URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/idh.70134
DOI: 10.1111/idh.70134
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