Abstract:
Smoking is a major health problem that is considered the leading cause of preventable death in many countries. Tooth loss, periodontal disease, oral soft tissue changes, excessive tooth wear, halitosis, implant failure, oropharyngeal cancer, stomatitis, gingivitis, and dental caries are some of the negative effects on oral health that smoking can cause. Aim of this study was to determine how the degree of smoking correlates with symptoms of chronic inflammation in the oral cavity of people who smoke. This research was designed quantitatively using a cross-sectional approach. Focus of the research is young adults who actively smoke who work at the Bandung Islamic University (UNISBA) in 2023. The total number of respondents for this research is 60 respondents. The instrument used is a questionnaire that shows the degree of smoking and signs of chronic inflammation. Data obtained were analyzed using the Pearson correlation test. Results of this study show that among young adult active smokers working at Bandung Islamic University, there is a significant correlation between the degree of smoking and dental caries (respectively p=0.015 and p=0.002), but there is no correlation between stomatitis (p=0.152). Conclusion of his study is that chronic inflammatory manifestations of dental caries and gingivitis are associated with the degree of smoking. Cigarette smoke remaining in the mouth for a long time reduces the amount of saliva, making the oral cavity and teeth more susceptible to caries. In addition, cigarette ingredients can affect the connective tissue and gingival epithelium, increasing the likelihood of gingivitis.
