The maintenance of 172 patients who were treated and then attended a periodontal practice in Sydney, Australia for periods of at least 10 years has been surveyed. The results, expressed as loss of teeth over the maintenance period, have been compared with a 1978 study. Results of the two surveys have been compared for total tooth loss over the maintenance period, loss of individual tooth types, loss of teeth with furca lesions, and tooth loss relative to surgical experience. The comparative analysis is limited by the difference in total number of patients and by the duration of the studies. The proportionate division of patients into three groups according to tooth retention (well maintained, downhill, and extreme downhill) was statistically similar in both surveys. There were very few statistically valid differences in numbers of individual teeth lost between the two studies. Despite these comparable end results of long-term maintenance, the surgical experience was quite different, with the patients in our practice undergoing much more surgical treatment than those in the earlier report. The results appear to support the hypothesis that long-term maintenance is attainable for most periodontal patients, and is consistent with a variety of treatment approaches.

The efficacy of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent, ibuprofen, was evaluated in pain control following periodontal surgery. This type of agent acts peripherally by inhibiting the release of prostaglandins and minimizing the local inflammatory response. Thus there may be an advantage in pre-treatment administration of the drug so as to delay or even prevent postoperative pain. The study was multicentre, involving a Public Hospital Periodontal Unit, two specialist periodontal practices in Sydney, NSW, and two in Canberra, ACT. One hundred and twenty-seven patients who were to undergo periodontal surgery were randomly given either two 200 mg tablets of ibuprofen or two matching placebo tablets at least 30 minutes before administration of local anaesthesia. The procedure was double blind: neither the patient nor the clinician was aware of the tablet identity. Postoperatively, all patients were given labelled ibuprofen for pain relief, but were randomly divided into two groups: As directed who were instructed to take the drug regularly for two days postoperatively, and As required, who were to take the drug only if needed for pain relief. All patients completed a diary recording quantity and time of medication, and regular assessment of pain experience utilizing a visual analogue scale. The As directed group showed no significant difference in pain experience between pre-operative and post-operative only medication, but the As required group experienced significantly less pain and requirement for medication if the ibuprofen was administered pre-operatively.

A case of ‘pregnancy tumour’ associated with the administration of an oral contraceptive drug is described. The lesion was excised and adequate levels of oral hygiene maintained post‐operatively. No recurrence occurred throughout a further 21‐month period of hormone administration. The effect of the drug on the gingiva was dependent upon the presence of bacterial plaque.

This case report describes extensive ulceration of the gingiva caused by harsh and repetitive toothbrushing. The lesions were localized to several areas of the mouth. Despite considerable pain, the patient had persisted in the causative toothbrushing pattern. He had absorbed an invalid health belief that when pain or bleeding occurred, he should utilize consistent harsh brushing in the affected areas. Following re‐education, this brushing behavior was discarded and healing ensued. The origin of his health belief and its relationship to the behavioral principle of self‐efficacy are discussed. J Periodontol 1994;65:284–286.

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