Influence of Smoking Time and Number of Cigarettes Smoked per Day in Oral Characteristics of Smokers

Introduction: Tobacco use is known to associate a series of alterations and disorders that holds direct or indirect relation with this habit. However, the dose-time response relationship between smoking and the development of diseases related to it does not always happen linearly. Nevertheless, the incidence of these changes seems to have a strong influence on the amount of cigarettes and duration of consumption. Objective: This study aims to investigate the influence of the smoking time and number of cigarettes smoked per day in oral characteristics of smokers. Material and Methods: This study was a descriptive prospective cross-sectional study. As the oral characteristics, the presence of halitosis, lesions suggestive of caries, and periodontal problems were evaluated. For the analysis of consumption time, divided by the sample up to and more than 20 years of use and in relation to the number of cigarettes smoked per day, and up to and more than 20 cigarettes. The Fisher exact test was used for correlation of data. Results and Conclusions: It was found that tobacco usage for 20 years or more is associated with the presence of halitosis and periodontal problems. Nevertheless, the appearance of any of these variables associated with the number of cigarettes smoked per day. Thus, there is the influence of the time of smoking on the development of oral changes.