Adolescents who have smoked are more likely to have periodontal disease as adults compared with those who have not smoked

Subjects. This study examined 1037 persons born between April 1, 1972, and March 31, 1973, and followed up since 1973; 1019 were alive at time of the analysis, and 980 participated in the survey. Of these, 930 had a dental assessment, but 16 were excluded from the periodontal assessment, leaving 914 for this analysis. Their smoking was determined at 15, 18, 21, and 26 years, and their periodontal disease at 26 years. Intervention/Exposure. Smoking was measured at 15, 18, 21, and 26 years by self-report and assessed as a dichotomous variable. Main Outcome Measure. The dental examiners looked for 1 site or more with loss of attachment (LOA) of 4 mm or greater, measured by clinical examination. Main Results. After adjusting for gender, oral hygiene score (OHI-S), and use of dental services, persons who smoked continuously from 15 to 26 years of age had approximately three times the risk of having at least 1 site with periodontal LOA of ≥ 4 mm compared with nonsmokers. Those who smoked continuously from 21 to 26 years had twice the risk.