L Hunter1, R Newcombe, S Richmond, J Owens, M Addy. 1. Clinical Research and Public Health, Cardiff University School of Dentistry, Heath Park, Cardiff, UK. hunterml@cf.ac.uk
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between tobacco smoking, oral hygiene, gingival and periodontal health in young adults. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional (conducted in the course of a cohort study). SETTING: Cardiff, UK, 1989 and 2000. METHODS: Plaque was recorded, as was presence or absence of bleeding on probing and loss of attachment (LA). Information concerning tobacco smoking was obtained from questionnaire data. RESULTS: At age 19-20 years, smokers had statistically significantly (P < 0.01) higher whole mouth mean plaque scores than non-smokers. Whole mouth mean bleeding scores, however, were similar in smokers and non-smokers. The relationship of plaque to smoking was very similar at age 30-31, yet bleeding scores were approximately 25% lower in smokers than in non-smokers (P < 0.01). Whole mouth LA scores showed small, statistically non-significant differences between smokers and non-smokers. At the age of 30-31 years, gender and social class had a negligible confounding effect on oral hygiene, gingival and periodontal health in smokers and non-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Smokers consistently demonstrated poorer oral hygiene than non-smokers. The effect of smoking in reducing gingival bleeding was already apparent at age 19-20 years despite the fact that, at this time, subjects might be assumed to have been exposed to a relatively small dose of tobacco over a short period of time. In the follow-up study conducted at the age of 30-31 years, the impact of smoking on the periodontal tissues was, as expected, more pronounced.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between tobacco smoking, oral hygiene, gingival and periodontal health in young adults. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional (conducted in the course of a cohort study). SETTING: Cardiff, UK, 1989 and 2000. METHODS: Plaque was recorded, as was presence or absence of bleeding on probing and loss of attachment (LA). Information concerning tobacco smoking was obtained from questionnaire data. RESULTS: At age 19-20 years, smokers had statistically significantly (P < 0.01) higher whole mouth mean plaque scores than non-smokers. Whole mouth mean bleeding scores, however, were similar in smokers and non-smokers. The relationship of plaque to smoking was very similar at age 30-31, yet bleeding scores were approximately 25% lower in smokers than in non-smokers (P < 0.01). Whole mouth LA scores showed small, statistically non-significant differences between smokers and non-smokers. At the age of 30-31 years, gender and social class had a negligible confounding effect on oral hygiene, gingival and periodontal health in smokers and non-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Smokers consistently demonstrated poorer oral hygiene than non-smokers. The effect of smoking in reducing gingival bleeding was already apparent at age 19-20 years despite the fact that, at this time, subjects might be assumed to have been exposed to a relatively small dose of tobacco over a short period of time. In the follow-up study conducted at the age of 30-31 years, the impact of smoking on the periodontal tissues was, as expected, more pronounced.