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Oral hygiene compliance and gingivitis expression in cigarette smokers
Author(s) -
BERGSTRÖM JAN
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
european journal of oral sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.802
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1600-0722
pISSN - 0909-8836
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0722.1990.tb01004.x
Subject(s) - gingivitis , medicine , oral hygiene , dentistry , toothbrush , dental plaque , dental floss , brush , electrical engineering , engineering
Abstract – The compliance with an oral hygiene intervention program and its effect on oral cleanliness and gingivitis was studied in smokers and non‐smokers. The study group represented patients with regular dental attendance. It comprised 68 patients 21‐60 yr of age, including 28 habitual smokers. The program included toothbrushing with an electric toothbrush for 12 months. Oral cleanliness was evaluated according to a percentage plaque index and gingivitis according to the percentage of bleeding sites. The compliance with the oral hygiene program was very high among smokers and non‐smokers. Plaque index at baseline was very similar in smokers and non‐smokers and remained so during the course of the investigation. Following the introduction of the oral hygiene program, plaque index decreased in both groups, and there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups. In spite of the similarity in plaque index, gingival bleeding was significantly lower in smokers than non‐smokers. The results suggest that smokers and non‐smokers do not differ with respect to habitual oral hygiene or compliance with hygiene programs. In smokers, however, the clinical gingivitis expression in response to plaque is suppressed.