Lower use of dental services among long term cigarette smokers

Abstract

Study objective-Given the advanced stage of most oral cancer cases at diagnosis, it is hypothesised that a significant proportion of higher risk adults do not visit a dentist annually. The study objectives were to assess whether long term smokers were less likely to visit the dentist. Design-Data from the 1998 Massachusetts Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a population-based, random digit dial telephone health survey, were used to evaluate whether adults at higher risk of oral cancer attributable to long term cigarette smoking were less likely to go to the dentist, controlling for socioeconomic, demographic, and health related characteristics. Patients-A representative sample of 2119 Massachusetts adults aged 35 and older.Main results-Adults who were long term smokers were less likely than never smokers to have visited the dentist in the previous year (adjusted OR = 0.69, 95% confidence intervals (CI) = 0.48, 0.99). Moreover, adults who were at higher risk from both long term smoking and low fruit and vegetable consumption were even less likely to visit the dentist than adults with neither risk factor (adjusted OR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.22, 0.68). Among long term smokers, the likelihood of a yearly examination decreased with increasing smoking duration and amount smoked per day. Conclusions-These findings support the hypothesis that adults at higher risk of oral cancer attributable to long term cigarette smoking are less likely to have routine dental examinationss, even controlling for socioeconomic and health related diVerences. (J Epidemiol Community Health 2001;55:389-393)

Relationship Between Smoking Status and Oral Health in a Prison Population

“…Also, only one question assessed time of last visit to the dentist, and no specific information about oral health and regular dentist visits was obtained. Previous research suggested that smokers and ex-smokers have received less preventive care than nonsmokers (Mucci & Brooks, 2001), and this may have been true of the smokers in this study. Our data are suggestive of this point, because smokers and ex-smokers had fewer filled teeth and more missing and decayed teeth than nonsmokers, possibly indicating lack of regular dental care.…”

Tobacco and dental caries: A systematic review

“…Smokers may have lifestyle habits that are able to modify their oral health status [34]. Potentially, socio-behavioral factors could contribute more than biological ones to this relationship; as a major risk factor for general and oral health tobacco consumption is strongly related to educational and economic factors, while socio-economic development has been widely associated with caries experience [5].…”

Does Smoking Increase Risk for Caries? A Cross-Sectional Study in an Italian Military Academy

“…Tobacco use could have a role in changes of the bacterial ecology and plaque accumulation [Pihlstrom et al, 2005]. Moreover smokers may have lifestyle habits able to modify their oral health status [Mucci and Brooks, 2001].…”