The Impact of Cigarette Smoking and Vaping Use on the Development and Progression of Periodontitis: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND

Periodontitis is a widespread inflammatory disease that impacts the tissues surrounding and supporting teeth. As well as being untreated, it leads to serious dental and overall health issues. While cigarette smoking is widely recognized as a major risk factor for the development and progression of periodontitis, the effects of vaping use on periodontal health remain a subject of growing concern.

AIM: This paper aims to investigate the impact of both traditional smoking and vaping use on periodontal health, as well as determine which method poses a greater risk for periodontal disease.

METHODS

The current systematic review adhered to the PRISMA standards for quantitative systematic reviews. A systematic search was conducted across four databases: Medline, CINAHL, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), yielding 2179 studies. Duplicate studies (n = 585) were identified and removed using RefWorks.

RESULTS

The result of this review revealed that cigarette smokers experience worse periodontal conditions than vape smokers and non-smokers. Cigarette smokers exhibited higher Gingival Index (GI), poorer Plaque Index (PI), lower Bleeding on Probing (BOP), mean Probing Depth (PD) exceeding 3 mm, and greater Clinical Attachment Loss (CAL). A total of 13 studies were included in this systematic review. Specifically, six studies compared cigarette smokers with vaping smokers and non-smokers, while another six studies focused on the comparison between cigarette smokers and non-smokers. Furthermore, one study assessed vaping smokers against non-smokers.

CONCLUSION

This review focuses on the substantial differences in periodontal health between cigarette smokers, vape users, and nonsmokers. Cigarette smoking has been linked to more severe periodontal diseases, including a higher Gingival Index, a lower Plaque Index, and worse Clinical Attachment Loss. While vaping seems to have a lower influence on periodontal health, it deserves further examination. Understanding these distinctions is critical for creating targeted therapies and public health measures to reduce the negative impacts of tobacco and vaping on oral health.