Association between smoking and dental caries among people of Dhanbad district, Jharkhand, India

Introduction: Smoking as a public health problem harms one’s general and oral well-being, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Aim: The aim of this study was to find out the association between dental caries and smokers (current and past) with nonsmokers among people of Dhanbad District, Jharkhand, India. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted among 1364 (448 smokers, 440 past smokers, and 446 nonsmokers), and the patients were divided among three age groups (35–44, 45–60, and >60 years). Results: It was revealed that the highest mean decayed missing and filled teeth was seen among smokers (3.65 ± 5.78) followed by past smokers (3.01 ± 2.66) and nonsmokers (3.01 ± 2.66). Conclusion: Efforts are required by clinicians to educate people about the ill-effects of tobacco and provide tobacco cessation counseling to reduce the burden of morbidity and mortality caused by tobacco.