Original Research Article
Year: 2017 | Month: January | Volume: 7 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 109-114
Correlation of Smoking, Periodontal Health Status and Gingival Melanin Pigmentation
Vinni Goyal1, Devaraj CG2
1PG student, 2Professor,
Department of periodontology, Mahatma Gandhi Dental College & Hospital, Jaipur.
Corresponding Author: Vinni Goyal
ABSTRACT
Objective: Cigarette smoking causes pigmentation of oral mucosa and is a significant risk factor for periodontal diseases. This study evaluates the gingival melanin pigmentation and periodontal health status in smokers and non - smokers.
Materials & Methods: A total of 75 smokers and an equal number of non-smokers were recruited for this cross-sectional, comparative study. Subjects were selected randomly from the patients attending dental outpatient department of Mahatma Gandhi dental college and hospital, Jaipur. Subjects were assessed for gingival pigmentation based on Hedin’s classification of melanin index and for overall periodontal status with Community Periodontal Index (CPI). A questionnaire was also completed by each patient.
Results: Statistically very high significant mean gingival pigmentation score was seen in smokers as compared to non smokers (p < 0.0005). Mean CPI index was also significantly higher in smoker group than non smoker (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Increased gingival melanin pigmentation and poor periodontal status in smokers indicate that chronic smoking exerts an adverse effect on health of teeth and periodontal tissue, which may lead to various periodontal diseases. Increased degree of gingival melanin pigmentation correlated with deteriorating periodontal status, thus smokers having increased gingival melanin pigmentation should be further evaluated for periodontal status.
Key words: Gingival Melanin Pigmentation, Smoking, Periodontal Diseases.