Occurrence of periopathogens in smoker and non-smoker patients.

The aim of the present study was to elucidate the interrelationship between cigarette smoking and the occurrence of periopathogens, i.e., Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Bacteroides gingivalis and Bacteroides intermedius. The study was based on 145 patients with clinically severe periodontitis, 52 men (age range 32-73 years) and 93 women (age range 32-74 years). 83 patients were smokers (> or = 15 cigarettes/day) and 62 non-smokers. Bacterial samples were collected from one site with a probing depth > or = 6 mm for each individual. There were no statistically significant differences in bacterial counts between smokers and non-smokers (p > 0.05). The relative frequencies of smokers and non-smokers positive for A. actinomycetemcomitans were 31% and 31%, for B. gingivalis 42% and 44%, and for B. intermedius 65% and 53%, respectively. The differences between smoking groups were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The occurrence in different combinations of these bacteria was also determined. There were no statistically significant differences between smoking and combinations of periopathogens (p > 0.05). The results suggest that smoker and non-smoker patients do not differ with regard to occurrence, relative frequency or different combinations of A. actinomycetemcomitans, B. gingivalis and B. intermedius.