The study was based on 1,500 residents of Jönköping who took part in detailed dental health exams in 1983, 1993 and 2003. Hugoson and Rolandsson supervised teams of dentists who collected information on the number of teeth, plaque index, presence of inflammation of the gingiva (gum tissue), periodontal pocket depth, gum recession, calculus, and x-ray examination. The findings were used to classify participants according to the presence and severity of gum, or periodontal, disease. The results were adjusted for factors that might influence the development of periodontal disease, such as age, gender, and socioeconomic class (education, employment and marital status).
In comparison to nonusers of tobacco, smokers were more likely to have severe periodontal disease (odds ratios, OR = 3.0 – 6.5, which were statistically significant). The authors note, “Numerous epidemiological studies have demonstrated that of all the risks identified, cigarette smoking may be the most strongly associated with periodontitis.”
Severe periodontal disease among snus users was about as common as among nonusers of tobacco (OR = 0.8, not statistically significant). This is in essential agreement with a comprehensive review published by Kallischnigg and colleagues in BMC Oral Health in 2008 (available here). Furthermore, it suggests that the federally mandated smokeless tobacco warning, “This product can cause gum disease and tooth loss,” is not relevant to snus, if it is scientifically credible at all.
Hugoson and Rolandsson provide information on tobacco use for each year of the study. Following is the breakdown for men:
| Proportion of Men in Jönköping Who Are Snus Users, Smokers and Nonusers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Snus Users (%) | Smokers (%) | Nonusers (%) |
| 1983 | 9 | 29 | 62 |
| 1993 | 13 | 17 | 70 |
| 2003 | 17 | 14 | 69 |
The prevalence of snus use among men doubled from 9% in 1983 to 17% in 2003, while the prevalence of smoking was cut in half, from 29% to 14%.
This study provides more evidence that use of snus by Swedish men has resulted in real benefits to their general and oral health.
2 comments:
Another wonderful article. A friend of mine is in the process of quitting smoking and he says he feels his circulation again. Its been 6 days and he feels the nicotine wearing away so i'm hoping the best. Thanks again for sharing :)
It is really an eye opener as we usually co-relate gum diseases with the use of tobacco more often. I just hope that the findings are true and can help give away our earlier misconception.
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