[The Effect of Tobacco Smoke on the Course and Severity of Inflammation in Periodontal Tissues]

Introduction: The spreading habit of smoking and the characteristic effects of components of tobacco smoke make nicotinism the main etiologic factor of many diseases and the factor which modifies their course. Inflammation of periodontal tissues is included here. The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of tobacco smoke on some clinical parameters of periodontal tissues in adults, habitual smokers of tobacco, who reported with chronic periodontitis, and whose general state of health was otherwise normal.

Material And Methods: We enrolled 85 patients with chronic periodontitis. Patients who smoked tobacco since at least 5 years without interruption, 10 cigarettes per day or more, were allocated to one group. The control group consisted of 47 patients who never smoked. We analyzed the Approximal Plaque Index (API), the modified Sulcular Bleeding Index (mSBI), pocket depth, clinical attachment loss, and number of teeth lost due to periodontitis.

Results And Conclusions: The results of clinical tests were analyzed with Statistica P1 version 7.1 software package. Our analysis of API% demonstrated significantly higher values in habitual cigarette smokers. To the contrary, the Sulcular Bleeding Index (mSBI%) was significantly smaller in smokers. Mean pocket depth values and the clinical attachment loss were greater in habitual smokers. Tobacco smokers demonstrated significantly greater mean number of missing teeth due to chronic periodontitis. It follows that tobacco smoking is a relevant risk factor of periodontitis.