Secondhand smoke exposure may increase a person’s risk of developing periodontal disease, according to a study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry in Chapel Hill found that nonsmokers who inhaled tobacco smoke at work or home had a 50 to 60 percent increased risk of developing periodontal disease.
The research team evaluated data from Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, or NHANES III, for a subset of 6,611 U.S. residents who were 18 years of age or older and had never smoked or used other forms of tobacco. About one-third of the subjects were exposed to environmental tobacco smoke at home or at work, said lead investigator Dr. Samuel J. Arbes Jr. Researchers did not measure the amount of smoke inhaled.
"We found that among adults in the United States who had never smoked cigarettes, 11 percent of those exposed to environmental tobacco smoke in their homes or at work had periodontal disease, and their risk was about 1.5 times higher than for people not exposed," said Dr. Arbes. "Even though this increase in risk is much smaller than the increase in risk associated with active cigarette smoking—up to five times greater—environmental tobacco smoke could account for many cases of gum disease nationwide."
Researchers say that although their findings provide evidence of a link between secondhand smoke and periodontal disease, they cannot prove it. The mechanism by which secondhand smoke may promote periodontal disease has not yet been studied.
"We strongly believe that it is premature to claim that passive smoking causes periodontal disease or to make any policy recommendations," said Dr. Arbes. "However, we do feel that it is reasonable to use these findings to repeat the known oral health hazards of active tobacco consumption. We also hope the findings further motivate dental health providers to promote tobacco cessation in their practices."
