Incidence of Caries in Smoking and Smokeless Tobacco-An Observation Study

Dental caries is an irreversible microbial disease of the calcified tissues of the teeth, characterized by demineralization of the inorganic portion and destruction of the organic substance of the tooth, which often leads to cavitation. It is a complex and dynamic process where a multitude of factors influence and initiate the progression of disease. There are practically no geographic areas in the world whose inhabitants do not exhibit some evidence of dental caries. It affects persons of both genders in all races, all socioeconomic strata and every age group. Likewise, there is strong evidence that tobacco use has numerous negative effects on oral health, for example staining of teeth, dental restoration, development of oral diseases. A biologically reasonable explanation for an association between chewing tobacco use and dental caries may be the presence of higher levels of fermentable sugars in chewing tobacco products which can stimulate the growth of carcinogenic bacteria. The decreased buffering effect possible lower pH of smokers saliva and higher number of lactobacilli and streptococcus mutans group may indicate an increased susceptibility to caries in smokers. On the other hand, there are researches which conclude that presence of extrinsic tobacco stains appear to provide a protective effect from caries.