Assessment of Tooth Wear among Tobacco Chewers in South India

Aim: In India, people chew tobacco either alone or in combination with pan or pan masala, which may cause tooth wear. The nature of chewable areca nut and tobacco consumption in India has undergone rapid transformation with introduction of pan masala and gutkha. The negative health effects of tobacco on oral soft tissue including premalignancy and malignancy are well documented, however research on its effect on oral hard tissues especially on tooth wear is lacking. Materials and Methods: The purpose of this study was to assess and compare tooth wear among chewers of various forms/combinations of tobacco products in patients visiting Pvt. Dental College in Tamilnadu, India. The SPSS version 15 (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA) statistical analysis was used and the results were obtained. Results: The subjects chewing tobacco had significantly greater tooth wear as compared to the controls. The wear was especially significant in paan chewers compared to the other tobacco combinations. It was also observed that the frequency and duration of chewing tobacco was directly proportional to the number of pathologically worn sights like attrition, abrasion and erosion. The subjects chewing tobacco had significantly greater tooth wear as compared to the controls (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The patients taken here are tobacco chewers, comparison here is the subjects chewing tobacco had significantly greater tooth wear as compared to the controls and the outcome is the most commonly occuring tooth wear among tobacco chewers. Tobacco products containing abrasives contribute to tooth wear and this factor must be taken into account for treatment planning for these patients.