A community study of periodontal attachment loss in smokers

Abstract

Objective: This study compared per-sextant periodontal attachment levels of smokers and non-smokers attending private dental practices. Method: One thousand adults (51.5% female) aged 25 to 64 years underwent an oral clinical examination and questionnaire survey covering demographic characteristics, personal traits, coping and history of tobacco consumption. Medical history was also recorded. Results: Of the subjects, 9.0% had a healthy periodontal status, whereas 52.5%, 23.3%, 10.1% and 5.1% showed low, moderate, high and severe attachment loss, respectively. Most participants (86.0%) were never-smokers, and 1.1%, 3.9%, 3.5% and 5.5% were very light, light, moderate and heavy smokers, respectively. Corresponding full-mouth mean clinical attachment levels (CALs) were 2.0mm, 1.5mm, 1.4mm, 1.8mm and 2.9mm (p < 0.001, ANOVA). After adjustment for factors known to be associated with an increase in CAL, the mean per-sextant CAL in never-smokers was 2.0-2.1 mm (p = 0.11 ); in heavy smokers, the mean CAL for the anterior sextants was significantly higher than that for the posterior sextants (3.2mm vs. 2.8mm; p = 0.04). Conclusion: In Hong Kong, heavy smokers are more likely to experience attachment loss than are other smokers and never-smokers, and their anterior sextants are affected more than their posterior sextants. © 2008 FDI/World Dental Press.