160 - Association between Tobacco Smoking and Periodontal Health in Underserved Adolescents

Friday, May 27, 2022

11:00 AM – 11:15 AM PT

Location: Sails Pavilion

Has Audio

Presenting Author(s)

Carl R. Buchanon, II, DDS, MPH

Pediatric Dental Resident
University of California, San Francisco
University of California San Francisco
Oakland, California, United States

Program Director(s)

TT

Thomas Tanbonliong, DDS

Program Director
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, California, United States

Objective: Currently cigarettes are the most frequently used addictive substance among high school students. This study aimed to evaluate the association between tobacco smoking and periodontal health (PH) among underserved adolescents aged 12-17 years old in Washington D.C. and Nashville, TN.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was a secondary data analysis of the association of tobacco smoking and PH in middle- and high school students using a bivariable Chi-square test for the PH outcome variables. The categorical periodontal case definition was the presence or absence of probing pocket depths ⥸4mm and bleeding from those pockets at ⥸2 sites. The periodontal measures were derived from clinical examination of pocket probing depths and bleeding on probing by calibrated examiners. A questionnaire to the participants provided information about tobacco use. Exposure to tobacco was specified using different dimensions of its use: i.e. type of product (cigarette versus e-cigarette), number of times per week smoking, number of years smoking, recency (smoked within the past 30 days), and ever smoked versus never smoked.

Results: For type of product used, there were no individuals who met the poor PH case definition (no p-value could be estimated). Number of cigarettes used, number of e-cigarettes used, and number of cigarettes or e-cigarettes used per week resulted in no significant associations (no p-value could be estimated). The analysis found non-statistically significant differences for duration of smoking in years for cigarettes and e-cigarettes (p=0.7651); recency of smoking (cigarettes p = 0.5465) or (e-cigarettes p=0.5534). For those who ever smoked cigarettes and for those who ever smoked e-cigarettes there were no significant differences in PH outcomes (p = 0.5224, p = 0.3835), respectively.

Conclusions: Our findings indicated there was no significant association between tobacco smoking and poorer PH in this study population.

Support: This study was supported by the HMACS study at Howard University College of Dentistry and Meharry Medical College of Dentistry.