title: Effect of teenage smoking on the prevalence of periodontal bacteria.
abstract: The aim of our study was to investigate how teenage smoking affects the prevalence of periodontal bacteria and periodontal health with the hypothesis that smoking increases the prevalence of the bacteria. Oral health of 264 adolescents (15- to 16-year-olds) was clinically examined, and their smoking history was recorded. The participants also filled in a structured questionnaire recording their general health and health habits. Pooled subgingival plaque samples were taken for polymerase chain reaction analysis of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Prevotella intermedia, Prevotella nigrescens, and Treponema denticola. The prevalence of P. intermedia (21% vs. 4%, p = 0.01) and T. forsythia and T. denticola (23% vs. 8%, p < 0.05, for both) was higher among female smokers than among non-smokers. T. forsythia and T. denticola were more often associated with bleeding on probing (29% vs. 12%; 25% vs. 10%, respectively) and deep pockets (25% vs. 15%; 23% vs. 10%, respectively) with smokers than non-smokers. Among the girls, a significant association was found between pack-years and the prevalence of P. nigrescens (p < 0.007). In both genders, A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis were rare in this study. To conclude, periodontal bacteria were associated with higher periodontal index scores among all teenage smokers. Smoking girls harbored more frequently certain periodontal bacteria than non-smokers, but this was not seen in boys. Hence, our study hypothesis was only partly confirmed.
authors.affiliation: Network of Academic Health Centers, Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Helsinki, PL 41, Helsinki 00014, Finland. amkheikk@mappi.helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Heikkinen
authors.forename: Janne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pitkäniemi
authors.forename: Kirsti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kari
authors.forename: Riitta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pajukanta
authors.forename: Outi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Elonheimo
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koskenvuo
authors.forename: Jukka H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Meurman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D058491:Bacterial Load; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003728:Dental Calculus / Q000382:microbiology; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000382:microbiology; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000382:microbiology; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000382:microbiology; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000382:microbiology; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018713:Prevotella intermedia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D045242:Prevotella nigrescens / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking; D014099:Toothbrushing; D048373:Treponema denticola / Q000302:isolation & purification