Fed:One third of gum disease is due to smoking: study

A study by the Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health has quantified for the first time the damage that cigarettes do to the gums.

"There are over two million cases of gum disease in Australian adults," said lead researcher Dr Loc Do, of the University of Adelaide.

"But our study found that up to 700,000 of these, or 32 per cent, could be prevented by not smoking."

Gum disease is one of the most prevalent forms of oral disease, and along with tooth decay, is the main cause of tooth loss in the Australian population.

The research found that young and middle-aged adults and adults with lower socioeconomic status were more likely to be current smokers.

"The hazardous effect of smoking on gums is higher among the younger population, indicating the desirability of preventing the uptake of smoking in this population," Dr Do said.

"Dental professionals should urge potential smokers to avoid the habit and encourage current smokers to stop."

He said smoking affected the gums by reducing anti-inflammatory agents in the blood vessels and restricting the blood supply to the gum tissue.

The study, using data collected in the National Survey of Adult Oral Health, is published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology.