Tobacco-use patterns and self-reported oral health outcomes

Introduction:
This text provides an analysis of the relationship between tobacco product use and self-reported oral health outcomes in the US population. The study uses data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study and examines the association between various tobacco products and use patterns with gingival disease diagnosis, gingival disease treatment, and precancerous lesion diagnosis report. The study also discusses the implications of the findings for dental clinicians and oral health care professionals.

Key Points:

* The study used data from the PATH study, which is a nationally representative longitudinal study of US adults and youth.
* The study categorized tobacco product use into 12 groups based on responses regarding product and use patterns.
* The study found that numerous tobacco-use patterns were associated with worse periodontal health compared with tobacco never users.
* The study also found that self-reported periodontal measures are known to lack sensitivity compared with clinically verified outcomes.
* The study controlled for covariates such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, employment, income, health insurance coverage, access to dentist, and history of diabetes.
* The study found that oral health care professionals should remain informed of, screen for, and address the use of all tobacco products in practice.
* The study found that dental clinicians should anticipate various tobacco-use patterns among their patients, all of which may impact oral health.

Main Message:
The main message of the text is that dental clinicians and oral health care professionals should be aware of the various tobacco-use patterns and their impact on oral health. The study found that numerous tobacco-use patterns were associated with worse periodontal health compared with tobacco never users. Therefore, it is essential that oral health care professionals remain informed of, screen for, and address the use of all tobacco products in practice. The study also highlights the need for further research to assess possible associations between the use of noncigarette tobacco products and periodontal health.

Vora, Manali V., and Benjamin W. Chaffee. “Tobacco-Use Patterns and Self-Reported Oral Health Outcomes.” The Journal of the American Dental Association 150, no. 5 (May 2019): 332-344.e2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2018.12.004.