Objective: This study aimed to assess the awareness of periodontal disease and level of knowledge of the relationship between smoking and periodontal disease amongst subjects who were smokers verses non-smokers.
Methods: A questionnaire looking at knowledge of respondents regarding gum disease and knowledge and awareness about oral impacts of smoking on periodontal disease was developed and pretested in Dental Faculty University of Malaya. Basic Periodontal Examination (BPE) index was used to assess periodontal status.
Results: The questionnaire was answered by 130 subjects. Prevalence of smoking was 14.6%. A total of 58.6% non-smokers and 57.9% smokers knew about periodontal disease. However, only 26.1% non-smokers and 10.5% smokers knew that the cause for periodontal disease was plaque. More non-smokers than smokers knew that smoking affected periodontal health (80.2% and 68.4% respectively) (p>0.05) and tooth mobility was an effect of smoking on periodontal health (27.0% and 0%) (p<0.05). Regarding source of information on effect of smoking on periodontal health, 63.2% smokers and 63.1% non-smokers reported obtaining information through the mass media. However, only 31.6% smokers and 28.8% non-smokers were informed by their dentist.
Conclusion: The awareness of periodontal disease and knowledge of the relationship between smoking and periodontal disease was low in this selected population of smokers and non-smokers.
Keywords: Awareness, knowledge, periodontitis, smoking
Study site: Primary Care Unit, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia