Effects of cigarette smoking on the clinical attachment loss & gingival recession among sixth year medical students in Baghdad

الملخص EN

Background : the association between smoking duration and periodontal disease controlling for age was statistically significant, also smoking exposure and periodontal disease is a dose- dependent relationship.

The amount of cigarettes consumption had a significant effect on clinical attachment loss and gingival recession.

Materials and methods: The influence of the amount and duration of cigarettes smoking on both clinical attachment level and gingival recession were investigated in 100 sixth year male medical students (50 were no –smoker) of mean age = 24years old, at 3 medical colleges in Baghdad.

Self administrated questionnaire and a clinical examination for PLI, gingival bleeding, periodontal pocket depth, clinical attachment level and gingival recession was carried on among them.

Results : 58 % of smokers had been smoking for less than 5years while 42 %of smokers had been smoking for more than 5 years.

Regarding the amount of smoking 34 % smoked less than 5 cigarettes per day, 50 % of smokers smoked (5-20) cigarettes per day, while 16 % smoked more than 20 cigarettes per day.

Smokers showed significantly higher mean of plaque index, clinical attachment loss and gingival recession.

No significant difference in both gingival bleeding and the mean of pocket depth was found between the smokers and non-smokers.

Conclusion : it may be concluded that, even at such an early age and in spite of a good oral hygiene standard, tobacco consumption affects the periodontal health and such effect is a dose dependent especially for periodontal attachment loss and gingival recession.