Smoking swings of gingival crevicular fluid secretion

OBJECTIVE: Smoking is detrimental to gingival and periodontal health. It has been reported to produce changes in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) flow, but the cumulative effects of smoking on GCF have not been studied till date. The present study was designed to discover and evaluate transitional dynamics, if any, in GCF flow just immediately before and after smoking. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study comprised age- and gender-matched 20 male subjects. Half of the study population was constituted by non-smokers who comprised the control group and the remaining half of the study population was chronic smokers constituting the test group. The GCF samples were collected using the micropipettes before smoking, immediately after, and 10 min after smoking for the test group and during similar timings for the control group. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The study reveals an overall low GCF volume in smokers than in non-smokers. More interestingly, a transitional decrease immediately after smoking is followed by a marked increase in GCF volume 10 min after smoking.