Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Entertainment | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Up in smoke

It is well known that people who smoke cigarettes are at higher risk for gum disease, tooth loss and cancers of the mouth. So it would be natural to think that smokers make a point of getting regular checkups from a dentist.

In fact, they are less likely to do so than non-smokers, a new study finds. A survey of more than 15,000 Americans, reported in the current American Journal of Health Behavior, found that 33 percent of smokers said they went to the dentist at least once a year compared with 45 percent of non-smokers. Susan K. Drilea led the study, commissioned by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Drilea said it was unclear why smokers went to the dentist less often. Part of it may be a lack of money or insurance, she said.

But she also suggested that the problem might reflect some smokers' attitude toward their health. The results of the study suggest that health advocates who reach out to smokers should also be encouraging them to improve dental care.

The New York Times

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail