BPE screening of adults

Carry out a BPE screen for all new adult patients, and all adult patients without a diagnosis of periodontitis at each recall appointment. For patients with a diagnosis of periodontitis, see Full periodontal examination.  

Explain to the patient the reason for the examination.

Divide the dentition into 6 sextants (i.e. 17-14, 13-23, 24-27, 47-44, 43-33, 34-37).

Examine all teeth in each sextant (excluding third molars unless first and/or second molars are missing) using a WHO BPE probe (see figure: WHO BPE probe) and light probing force equivalent to the force required to blanch a fingernail (see figure: Probing force).

• ‘Walk’ the probe around the gingival margin of each tooth in the sextant (see figure: Walking the probe).

N.B. A sextant must include at least two teeth; if only one is present then include it with the neighbouring sextant.

Record the highest score for each sextant, including any furcation involvement (noted as * beside the sextant score), as illustrated in table BPE Scoring codes.  

• For example, a sextant where the black band enters the pocket but is still partially visible plus furcation involvement would be scored 3*. 
• If any tooth in a sextant is given the score 4, continue to examine all sites in the sextant. This will help to gain a fuller understanding of the periodontal condition and will make sure that furcation involvements are not missed.

For patients with a BPE score of 3, 4 or * carry out a full periodontal examination and record the findings in the patient’s clinical notes.

• For patients with a BPE score of 3, full charting of the affected sextant should be carried out after initial treatment. 
• For patients with a BPE score of 4, full charting of the whole dentition should be performed before treatment begins.