Tobacco exposure and clinical attachment loss and gingival recession among the fifth year dental students in Iraq

الملخص EN

This paper investigates the influence of amount and duration of cigarettes smoking on both clinical attachment level and gingival recession in a sample of young, dentally educated, healthy population.

Self administrated questionnaire and a clinical examination for PLI, gingival bleeding, periodontal pocket depth, clinical attachment level and gingival recession was carried on among 160 fifth year dental students (male) of mean age (24 years old) at Baghdad, Al- Mosul and Al- Anbar Universities.

Results showed 58% of smokers had been smoking for less than 5 years while 42% of smokers had been smoking for (5- 10) and more than 10 years, for amount of smoking 50% of smokers smoked (5- 20) cigarettes per day, 34% smoked less than 5 cigarettes per day and 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 between the smokers and non- smokers.

Smoking duration has a direct association with increased mean of PLI, clinical attachment loss and gingival recession, but did not reach to a statistical significant value, while smoking amount significantly affects both clinical attachment loss and gingival recession for smokers who smoked more than 20 cigarettes / day compared to those who smoked less than 5 cigarettes / day.

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 dosedependent especially for periodontal attachment loss and gingival recession