Smoking Dependence and Periodontitis

The present study was designed as a, single-center, prospective cohort study focusing on the relationship between smoking status and the severity of periodontitis.

The research question was " How the Fagerström for nicotine dependence (FTND) and the number of cigarette cunsuption (NNC) are correlated to the severity of chronic periodontitis"? Thirty-four consecutive smoker patients presenting a chronic periodontitis were included in the study, and the smoking status was defined both by NCC and FTND.

Periodontal clinical parameters were correlated with NCC and FTND.

All the clinical periodontal parameters were recorded by a single periodontist (L.S). Periodontal assessments included: probing depth (PD), gingival recession (RD), clinical attachment level (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP), plaque score index (PI), Furcation (Furc), tooth mobility and the percentage of sites of PD ≥ 6mm. A graduated manual periodontal probe was used to take measurements at the 6 sites of each tooth. BOP (%) and plaque score (%).

All the participants of the study respected the following inclusion criteria: 1/ smoker patients aged of minimum 18 years old, 2/ chronic periodontitis, 3/ presence of a minimum of 6 teeth at each arch, 4/ a minimum of 6 teeth with pocket depth of 5 mm, 5/ signed the informed consent. The exclusion criteria were: 1/ aggressive periodontitis, 2/ diabetes, 3/ connective tissue disease, 4/ pregnancy, 5/ radio-therapy, 6/ chemotherapy, 7/ psychological disease, 8/ previous periodontal therapy.

The patient smoking status was defined by FTND and NCC FTND scores were categorized in 3 groups

• scores < 4 for low nicotine dependence,
• scores = 4-5 for moderate nicotine dependence
• scores > 5 for high nicotine dependence.

The NCC s was classified in three levels of smokers as described in most of the periodontal studies:

• Number of cigarette smoking ≤ 10 per day for low consumption
• Number of cigarette smoking from 10 to 20 per day for moderate consumption
• Number of cigarette smoking > 20 per day for high cigarette consumption

Inclusion criteria

• smoker patients aged of minimum 18 years old
• chronic periodontitis
• presence of a minimum of 6 teeth at each arch
• a minimum of 6 teeth with pocket depth of 5 mm
• signed the informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• aggressive periodontitis
• diabetes
• connective tissue disease
• pregnancy
• radio-therapy
• chemotherapy
• psychological disease
• previous periodontal therapy.