[Tobacco smoking and periodontitis].

Increasing evidence points to smoking as a major risk factor for periodontitis, affecting the prevalence, extent and severity of disease. The aim of our study was to asses due to clinical and statistical methods the progress of periodontal disease according to general health status and smoking. 123 persons with periodontitis were divided into 4 groups: healthy, diabetes, heart and vessels diseases and osteopenia. Oral hygiene status was established acc. to O Larry Hygiene Index, Gingival status acc to SBI Index, the gingival pocket depth and attachment loss were measured in milimeters. The monitoring took place from 1996 to 2002. In statistical analysis the Friedman and Kruskal-Wallis test were used. The development of inflammation in response to plaque accumulation is reduced in smokers compared with nonsmokers. Smoking promotes chronic gingivitis and attachment loss.