Method: Investigators conducted a survey of patients’ electronic health records from the participating institution. Data was confidential and was reported in aggregate from randomly chosen participants (n=100). Survey question content included patient oral hygiene habits and details regarding tobacco use, such as how much and how long tobacco has been used.
Result: Evaluation of survey results found that 38% of the patients were current tobacco users and 46% have never used tobacco. The main form of tobacco used by current smokers was cigarettes. 10% of cigarette smokers also smoked cigars. 46% of the current smokers use tobacco 16-20 times daily and about 40% use it less than ten times. 60% of participants were high-risk for caries. 29% have less than 5 carious lesions, 30% have 5-10, 23% have 10-15 and 18% have more than 15 carious lesions. 55% of the participants indicated brushing frequency of 2-3 times per day.
Conclusion: Our investigation concluded that 1)there is a strong association between increased caries and TU and 2)a negative correlation exists between TU and oral hygiene. Emphasis on tobacco cessation should be an important step in oral hygiene instruction.
Keywords: Caries, Dental patients and Tobacco