Relationship between wind-instruments performance and periodontal condition

According to recent reports, it is worth while to notice that professional wind-instrument players might have more serious their oral condition than other people. Objective: Aims of this study are to clarify relationship between wind-instrument performance and periodontal condition and contribution to improving players' oral condition. Methods: 98 military band members of Japan maritime self defense force (JMSDF) in Tokyo were checked up their periodontal condition using WHO periodontal probe. And the numbers of teeth with bleeding (Bl), calculus (Cl) and pocket formations (Pf) were counted. These data were divided into two groups that are wind-instrument players and others. The percentages of Bl, Cl and Pf in each group were calculated and compared. Then wind-instrument players were classified into woodwind and brass instrument players, which are subdivided into large and small-mouthpiece brass instrument players. And the same way of account and comparison were applied to these groups. Result: At the periodontal condition, the percentages of Bl and Cl were 33.9%, 40.9% in wind-instrument players and 28.8%, 35.6% in others. There were statistically significant differences in each periodontal condition between these tow groups (p<0.05). The wind-instrument players tend to show higher pocket formations than others, but it could not show statistically significant difference. Comparing woodwind players with brass instrument players, the former indicated significantly higher percentage of Bl,Cl. and Pf.; 32.2%, 44.7%, 6.9% than latter 26.0%, 37.6%, 4.0% (p<0.01). Equally, the differences periodontal conditions between small and large-mouthpiece brass instrument players showed interesting findings that large-mouthpiece players had higher percentage of Bl.Cl. and Pf.; 31.7%, 41.1%, 6.6% than small players; 21.6%, 34.9%, 3.6%. There were statistically significant differences in each periodontal condition (p<0.01). Conclusion: The result of this study showed significant relationships between wind instruments performance and periodontal disease. This evidence indicated that wind instruments players need more strict periodontal control.