Smoking creates bacterial imbalance in the mouth

2/22/2012

The mouth contains more than just the teeth, salivary glands and the tongue. It also has a micro-environment of bacteria - some of which are beneficial, some of which are harmful. Smoking can disrupt the balance between these two populations, ultimately leading to higher healthcare costs, according to new research.

"The smoker's mouth kicks out the good bacteria, and the pathogens are called in," said scientist Purnima Kumar of Ohio State University. "So they're allowed to proliferate much more quickly than they would in a non-smoking environment."

Kumar's team studied the mouths of 15 non-smokers and compared them to those of 15 smokers. Oral swabs were taken from all subjects one, two, four and seven days after a professional cleaning.

Lab analyses showed that the mouths of non-smokers had smaller populations of unhealthy bacteria. Meanwhile, smokers had more harmful species living within their micro-environment. Furthermore, the gums of these subjects were more inflamed, suggesting the body was trying to kill off both beneficial and pathogenic strains of organisms. This reaction leads to gingivitis, marked by swollen gums and irreversible bone loss.

Kumar, whose study was published in the journal Infection and Immunity, believes that dentists need to do more to encourage smokers to quit.

Meanwhile, everyone can take advantage of the smoking cessation efforts offered by their employee wellness programs.

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