Cigarette smoking and radiographic alveolar bone height and density

Smoking might produce an adverse effect on alveolar bone height and density, acting as a potential risk factor for alveolar bone loss. In the present study, smokers exhibited significantly lower bone density values than nonsmokers (p < or = 0.002). Bone measurements from the cemento-enamel-junction (CEJ) to the bone crest indicated a significantly greater distance from the CEJ to the alveolar bone crest among smokers (p < 0.0001). The distance from the CEJ to the alveolar bone crest positively correlated to the reported number of cigarettes smoked per day (p < 0.001) and the number of smoking years (p = 0.03). It is highly important to inform young smokers about the risk of this habit in relation to periodontal health. Furthermore, dental school curriculums should include tobacco use-related topics and nicotine-dependence treatment protocols.