I saw this article on Yahoo and in light of the recent thread on a
similar topic thought it might be of interest. Certainly, the
reference to cigar smokers is interesting, as it supports the thesis
that cigar and pipe smokers are far less exposed to tobacco-related
health risks than cigarette smokers — another argument for separating
cigarettes from other forms of tobacco consumption in the smoking
debate, as far as I am concerned.

Smoking Boosts Risk for Root Canal

THURSDAY, Feb. 23 (HealthDay News) — Cigarette smokers have something
new to add to their list of reasons to quit: Research shows they are
70 percent more likely to need a root canal than nonsmokers.

“The findings substantiate what most of us already know: smoking is
detrimental to your health,” study author Elizabeth Krall Kaye, an
epidemiologist at the Boston VA Hospital and a professor in the
department of health policy and health services at Boston University’s
School of Dental Medicine, said in a prepared statement.

Cigar and pipe smokers were only at a slightly increased risk for root
canal, according to the study, which tracked the dental and physical
health of a group of more than 800 men for 30 years.

The men’s dental health was checked every three years, along with
information about their smoking habits.

“But because root canal is so common — it’s estimated that half of
U.S. adults have experienced one by age 50 — I think people can
relate to it more than lung cancer and other smoking-induced
conditions. No matter what your age, you may need a root canal and as
our research shows, smoking increases your risk,” Kaye said.

She discussed the findings Thursday at a media briefing sponsored by
the American Dental Association and American Medical Association. The
study will appear in the April issue of the Journal of Dental
Research.

“The total amount of time smoked and the total time they remained
smoke-free was directly related to their risk [of root canal],” Kaye
said. “For example, the teeth of a man who smoked for less than four
years had a likelihood of treatment that was 20 percent greater than
that of nonsmokers, but the risk doubled in men who smoked anywhere
between five and 12 years, and was 120 percent greater for men who
smoked for more than 12 years. The good news is that after being
smoke-free for nine years, the risk returned to the level of men who
never smoked.”

“While our research doesn’t explain why the risk is increased among
cigarette smokers, we suspect that the body’s reduced
infection-fighting capabilities as a result of smoking may
contribute,” Kaye said.

“Other studies have also suggested that smokers experience more dental
cavities, which is a major reason for root canal treatment. Hopefully,
future research will be able to identify the mechanisms that explain
why cigarette smokers have more root canal treatments.”