What is the effect of smoking on periodontal health?

Smoking has a well-documented negative impact on periodontal health. The presence of tobacco in cigarette smoke introduces a range of harmful chemicals that can compromise oral tissue health. Smokers are more prone to developing periodontal disease due to several factors, including impaired immune response, reduced blood flow to the gums, and altered oral microbiome.

Specifically, smoking has been shown to inhibit the normal healing processes in the periodontium and exacerbate the progression of periodontal disease. This can manifest as increased attachment loss and bone loss around teeth, making it more challenging for individuals who smoke to maintain healthy gums. Consequently, the chronic inflammatory conditions associated with smoking further deteriorate periodontal health, leading to more severe clinical outcomes compared to non-smokers.

In contrast, the other options suggest outcomes that are inconsistent with scientific research regarding smoking and periodontal disease. There is a consensus that smoking does not improve healing, has a detrimental effect rather than a neutral one, and does not reduce inflammation; rather, it exacerbates inflammatory responses within the periodontal tissue.