PERIODONTAL HEALING AND PERIOPATHOGENIC MICROFLORA IN SMOKERS AND NONSMOKERS

The aim of the present study was to monitor the clinical and microbiol ogical effects of non-surgical therapy in smokers and non-smokers. The subject material included 32 patients (age range 32-61 years), 11 men and 21 women with moderate to severe periodontitis. 17 patients were smokers (greater than or equal to 15 cigarettes/day) and 15 non-smoker s. All patients were subjected to non-surgical periodontal therapy per formed by a dental hygienist. Periodontal variables (plaque index, gin gival index and probing depth) were registered and bacterial samples w ere collected before and 2 months after treatment. The treatment resul ted in significant reductions towards very low plaque and gingival ind ices in smokers and nonsmokers alike (p<0.05). Although probing depth was reduced in both smokers and non-smokers, the probing pocket depth reduction was significantly smaller in smokers than non-smokers (p<0.0 5). Microbiologically, the same therapeutical efficacy was attained in both smoking groups, indicating an almost total eradication of Actino bacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis. Concernin g Prevotella intermedia, out of 14 smokers and 10 non-smokers positive at baseline, 9 and 5, respectively, remained positive after treatment . The results suggest a less favourable clinical outcome of non-surgic al therapy in smokers than non-smokers in spite of the fact that the t herapy was equally effective with regard to reducing the alleged perio pathogens A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. gingivalis and P. intermedia.