All 30- to 59-year old subjects (N = 757) from a representative sample of adult Finns (total sample = 1,105), showing advanced periodontitis (marginal bone loss more than 30%, n = 125), were compared with their age- and sex-matched pairs showing no marginal bone loss (n = 291) with respect to the number of intact teeth (no caries experience) present. Both male (n = 83) and female (n = 42) subjects with advanced periodontitis had more intact teeth and intact molars than their matched pairs (113 men and 178 women) (P less than or equal to 0.01 for intact teeth and P less than or equal to 0.05 for intact molars in both groups). The total number of teeth present did not differ significantly between the compared groups. Contrary to earlier hypotheses, our results suggest that periodontitis and dental caries do not necessarily share a common etiology.