Habitual smoking and dental health: a cross-sectional study of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2018

Abstract

Abstract Background: Smoking can damage dental health, but the relationship between the duration of habitual smoking and the degree of dental damage has not been reported. Objective: This research aimed to investigate the dental health of habitual smokers who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2011 to 2018 and to assess the relationship between the duration of regular smoking and dental health. Methods: Participants in the NHANES database aged ≥18 and ≤70 years were included in this study. Based on the responses to the smoking questionnaire, the regular smoking time is estimated. Data concerning dental health were derived from the results of dental screenings. This study investigated the connection between the average smoking time of the participants and dental health using a multivariate linear regression model. This study created a risk prediction model to assess tooth injury risk in the smoking population. Results: A total of 3113 participants with complete information were involved. The analysis of multiple linear regression models showed that the longer a person smoked, the more severe the damage to their teeth, with a smoking year of 20 increasing to 0.069 (β=0.069，95% CI (0.024, 0.114), p<0.0001) and a smoking year of more than 20 rising to 0.135 (β=0.135, 95% CI (0.070,0.201), p<0.0001). The smokers who had been smoking for more than 20 years had a 2.7-fold higher number of unhealthy teeth than the group who had smoked for less than 20 years (β=2.7, 95% CI (2.2, 3.3), p<0.0001). Conclusion: The longer smokes, the more detrimental the impact on dental health can be. Therefore, smoking can negatively affect teeth, making it beneficial to quit or reduce smoking as soon as possible for better dental health. Several tools have been developed include prediction curves, risk assessment models, and assessment scales to assess the dental status of smokers and promote better dental health.