Evaluation of the Effect of Parental Smoking on Gingival Melanin Pigmentation in Children.

Abstract

The presence of melanin pigmentation of the gingiva has unfavorable effects on esthetics in children. Although there are several local and systemic factors that cause melanin pigmentation, they may also be induced by the stimulation of melanocytes by stimuli present in tobacco smoke. The aim of the study was to correlate the effect of parental smoking on the pigmentation of gingiva in children of Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. The study was a cross-sectional observational study. The study sample was formed by all children between 8 and 14 years of age. Only medically compromised children were excluded from the study. The children were examined for the presence of gingival melanin pigmentation. The status was recorded as present or absent. Determination of the smoking status of family members was done by a self-formulated questionnaire. The presence of pigmentation was seen in 114 (82%) children, whereas pigmentation was absent in 26 (18%) children. Out of the total sample of 140 children, 95 had one or more family members who were smoking. The Chi-squared test performed to form an association between pigmentation and the type of tobacco used revealed high significance (p = 0.00) for the father who smokes bidi. There is a correlation between parental smoking and melanin pigmentation in the gingiva of children, and the correlation is very high when the father is a smoker, especially when he smokes bidi. Anand A, Raja T, Thakur V, et al. Evaluation of the Effect of Parental Smoking on Gingival Melanin Pigmentation in Children. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2024;17(2):173-175.