Subgingival Microbiota Profile in Association with Cigarette Smoking in Young Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

• Published in: Dentistry journal Vol. 9; no. 12; p. 150
• Main Authors: Bašić, Krešimir, Peroš, Kristina, Bošnjak, Zrinka, Šutej, Ivana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 11.12.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Bacteria; Cigarette smoking; Composition; Confidence intervals; Cross-sectional studies; Data analysis; Dentistry; Depletion; Disease; Enamel; Gingiva; Lasers; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Microbiota; Molars; Pathogens; Periodontal disease; Periodontal diseases; Pharmacology; Proteins; Sample size; Smoking; Streptococcus infections; subgingival bacteria; Teeth; Young adults; Germany; microbiota; young adults; smoking; subgingival bacteria
• ISSN: 2304-6767; 2304-6767
• DOI: 10.3390/dj9120150

While smoking is recognized as one of the factors for the development and progression of periodontal diseases, a relation between the composition of the subgingival microbiota and smoking is yet to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of subgingival bacteria in young smokers and non-smokers without clinical signs of periodontal disease. In this cross-sectional study, performed at the Department of Pharmacology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, we enrolled 32 periodontally healthy smokers and 32 non-smokers, aged 25-35 years old. The number of oral bacteria and the prevalence of particular bacteria were assessed for each subject. Subgingival plaque samples were collected with sterile paper points from two first molars for microbiological analyses with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. In smokers, a significantly higher prevalence of was observed compared to non-smokers, and a significantly lower prevalence of was observed compared to non-smokers. Smoking affects the composition of subgingival microbiota, either via depletion of beneficial bacteria or the increase in pathogenic bacteria.