Severity of periodontal disease in smokers

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the severity of periodontal disease in a population of adults with gingival or periodontal disease who assist at the periodontics service of the Faculty of Dentistry of the National University of Rosario. Methods: The study evaluated the periodontal conditions in smokers and non smokers. The sample consisted of 400 individuals: 268 non-smokers (NS) and 132 active smokers (S). The classification of gingival and periodontal diseases was based on the criteria of the American Association of Periodontology (2017), recruiting patients with diagnoses of gingivitis, stage II, III and IV of periodontitis. Each one of these pathologies was related to the different age groups to assess the risks of clinical attachment loss. The periodontal variables studied were:   probing depth (PD), attachment level (AL), number of teeth present (TP), oral hygiene index (OHI), tooth mobility (M) and bleeding on probing (BOP). A multivariate analysis was also carried out to determine the degree of responsibility of the different risk factors, such as age, gender, being a smoker and the years of that habit duration, in relation to the extent and severity of the periodontal disease. Results: Twenty-nine per cent of women and fourty percent of men were smokers. The periodontal variables in the groups of S and NS behaved in the following way: PD for NS 4.19 (± 0.67), and for S 5.37 (±0.64) ; AL for NS 3.43 (±1.28), and for S 4.30 (±1.43); BOP for NS 41 (±23.76), and for S 43.28 (±23.56); OHI for NS 1.75 (±0.61), and for S 1.82 (±0.53); TP for NS 21.38 (±6.13), and for S 21.20 (±6.60) ; and M for NS 1.65 (±0.74), and for S 2.10 (±0.65). Conclusion: Stage II and III of periodontitis behaved similarly in both groups, but when we analysed stage IV of periodontitis, it was more prevalent in smokers, regardless of their age. When the population was stratified according to the age of the individuals, stage IV of periodontitis was more prevalent in older people who did not smoke and in young individuals under 40 who had the habit. PD, CAL and M periodontal variables were found with more severe values in the S group.