STUDY TO DETERMINE THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SMOKING AND PERIODONTITIS

Abstract

Smoking is an important factor in periodontitis. Many studies have found that active smoking is closely associated with the prevalence and severity of periodontal disease. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of smoking with the prevalence of periodontal disease. Material & Methods: A Cross- sectional descriptive study was conducted over a period of 6 months from Oct 2018 to March 2019, in the Dental Department of Services Hospital Lahore. The study was approved by the Ethical Review Board/ Committee of Services Hospital Lahore. Informed consent was taken from the patients. A total of 500 smokers were selected through questioning during screening from the population of patients presenting to outdoor/ diagnosis department. The smokers underwent a further detailed periodontal examination and were screened for the presence of periodontal disease. They were also cross questioned to rule out other causative factor related to periodontitits such as poor oral hygiene and diabetes. Conclusion and Clinical Significance: Smoking is a significant risk factor for impaired periodontal health. This needs to be considered before treatment planning for good prognosis and affective results of the provided treatment. Hence this habit must be diagnosed during history taking, evaluation and patient should be instructed to minimize and ultimately stop cigarette smoking for best treatment outcome. Key words: Smoking; periodontitis; periodontal disease; risk factor.