Association between Smoking and Periodontal Disease in South Korean Adults

Smoking poses a threat to global public health. This study analyzed data from the 2016–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to investigate smoking’s impact on periodontal health and identify potential risk factors associated with poor periodontal health in Korean adults. The final study population was 9178 patients, with 4161 men and 5017 women. The dependent variable was the Community Periodontal Index (CPI), to investigate periodontal disease risks. Smoking was the independent variable and was divided into three groups. The chi-squared test and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used in this study. Current smokers had a higher risk of periodontal disease than non-smokers (males OR: 1.78, 95% CIs = 1.43–2.23, females OR: 1.44, 95% CIs = 1.04–1.99). Age, educational level, and dental checkups affected periodontal disease. Men with a higher number of pack years had a higher risk of periodontal disease than non-smokers (OR: 1.84, 95% CIs = 1.38–2.47). Men who quit smoking for less than five years had a higher risk of periodontal disease than non-smokers but lower than current smokers (current OR: 1.78, 95% CIs = 1.43–2.23, ex OR: 1.42, 95% CIs = 1.04–1.96). Those who had quit smoking for less than five years had a higher risk of periodontal disease than non-smokers but lower than current smokers (males OR: 1.42, 95% CIs = 1.04–1.96, females OR: 1.11, 95% CIs = 1.71–1.74). It is necessary to motivate smokers by educating them on the importance of early smoking cessation.