Caracterización epidemiológica de pacientes fumadores invertidos en Cartagena, Colombia

Objective: the present study aims to describe the epidemiological characteristics of inverted smokers who attend a dental consultation in the School of Dentistry of the University of Cartagena. Methods: a cross-sectional, descriptive, observational study was carried out on 40 active inverted smokers, selected by snowball convenience sampling. The sociodemographic and epidemiological characteristics of the study subjects were described, and diagnoses were made by biopsy of the lesions found. The statistical analysis consisted in the finding of frequencies and percentages. Results: the female sex (90%), the housewife occupation (55%) and the black race (97.5%) were the most frequent characteristics in the subjects; in relation to the reason for the practice, social acceptance was the most prevalent cause (60%); and the most reported diagnosis was the palate of the inverted smoker (85%). Additionally, three cases of oral cancer were found (7.5%), and the most compromised anatomical site was the hard palate (85%). Conclusions: the habit of inverted smoking is associated with a marked desire for social acceptance of those who practice it, which originates in the traditions of their community, derived from the adaptation to their geographical area of residence and to the performance of daily tasks. This habit occurs predominantly in black women, housewives and over 45s. In the oral cavity, the most affected sites are the hard palate and the tongue; while the most frequent diagnoses are nicotinic palatitis and smoker’s melanosis.