Retrospective analysis of tobacco use and bleeding on probing

Objectives: To analyze retrospectively probing pocket depth (PPD) and bleeding on probing (BOP) in natural teeth and implants between smoking and nonsmoking patients. Methods: 347 teeth and 98 implants were analyzed in 20 patients (36 to 72 years old – mean 52 years), consisting of 12 nonsmokers and 8 smokers – and divided into 4 groups according to the probed sites: GROUP I – implant sites in smoking patients (36 implants – 216 sites); GROUP II: natural teeth sites in smoking patients ( 150 teeth – 900 sites); GROUP III: implants sites in non-smoking patients (62 implants – 372 sites); and GROUP IV: natural teeth sites in non-smoking patients (197 teeth – 1182 sites). Analysis data and measurements parameters were: presence or absence of visible bacterial plaque, bleeding and non-bleeding sites upon probing and probing depth ≤ 3 mm e > 3 mm. Results: Regarding visible and non-visible bacterial plaque, statistic significant difference existed between smoking and non-smoking patients. Regarding probing pocket depth ≤ 3 mm bleeding sites, statistic difference existed between group I (6 – 2,7%) and groups III (33 – 8,8%) and IV (149 – 12,6%). Similarly, group II and IV were statistically different as well. When comparing probing pocket depth ≥ 3 mm bleeding sites, significant statistic difference existed among all groups except group I who did not presented any probing pocket depth ≥ 3 mm bleeding site. In probing depth ≤ 3 mm non-bleeding sites comparison, statistic differences existed between group II (798 – 88,6%) with groups III (314 – 84,4%) and group IV (967 – 81,8%). Statistic differences also existed between group I (20 – 9,2%) and group III (15 – 4,0%) and IV (29 – 2,4%) when analyzing probing pocket depth ≥ 3 mm bleeding sites. Conclusions: The results of this retrospective study present evidence for the association between smoking and lack of bleeding in periodontal and periimplant sites.