Current status of indices of gingivitis

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Abstract
Gingival indices are used to describe the relative status of the degree of either health, disease, or both, of the gingival tissues. Most of the indices incorporate a graduated scale with definite upper and lower limits. All gingival indices rely on one or more of the following criteria: color, contour, bleeding, extent of involvement, crevicular fluid flow. Some indices have shown a correlation between the various criteria used and histologic signs of inflammation, particularly in the case of bleeding and visual signs of inflammation. In this paper, a number of indices to assess gingival health have been reviewed; their sensitivity varies and the type of index used will be dependent on the objective of the study to be conducted.