A Comparison of Oral Health Status in Active-, Occasional- and Non-Smoker Patients Versus Students

Objective: The aim of this case-control study was to assess the smoker and non-smoker patients’ oral health status versus students.
Methods: The study was based on a clinical examination of 210 young adults (118 women, 92 men) aged between 22–32 years. 105 of these were students in the 5th and 6th grade of the Faculty of Dentistry in Tîrgu Mureș and the control group was represented by patients. Patients and students were classified into three groups: non-smokers, occasional- and active smokers. The clinical examination evaluated the dental caries, fillings, extractions, crowns, root remnants and dental plaque. DMF-S index scores were calculated, and with its help the index of treatment need, dental care index and intensity of caries were determined.
Results: The dental treatment need index, DMF-S index and intensity of caries showed increased values in patients. Root remnants (p <0.0001), decay (p = 0.0473) and dental plaque (p = 0.0363) were much higher in the group of active smoker students as in the non-smoker students. Among active smoker patients the incidence of dental calculus (p = 0.0005), of root remnants (p = 0.0022) and of fillings (p = 0.0441) showed a higher value than in the non-smokers.
Conclusions: This study showed that compared with non-student patients, in dental students, a better oral hygiene was coupled with healthier teeth and periodontal. Poor oral hygiene together with smoking seems to worsen the oral health status.