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Researchers in Buffalo have shown that postmenopausal women who have smoked are at much higher risk of losing their teeth than women who never smoked.

A study of 1,106 women examined comprehensive smoking histories so that the researchers could unravel some of the causes behind tooth loss in postmenopausal women who smoked.1 Smoking has long been associated with tooth loss, but postmenopausal women in particular experience more tooth loss than their male counterparts.

Xiaodan Mai, a doctoral student in epidemiology at the University of Buffalo, said: 'Regardless of having better oral health practices, such as brushing, flossing and visiting the dentist more frequently, postmenopausal women in general tend to experience more tooth loss than men of the same age.'

In the study, heavy smokers – defined as those who had at least 26 pack-years of smoking, or the equivalent of having smoked a pack a day for 26 years – were nearly twice as likely to report having experienced tooth loss overall and more than six times as likely to have experienced tooth loss due to periodontal disease, compared to those who never smoked.

The study notes that cigarette smoke may accelerate periodontal disease and that other studies suggest that chemicals found in smoke may favour plaque-forming bacteria that could reduce the ability of saliva to be antioxidative. Nicotine also has been shown to reduce bone density and bone mineral factors while oestrogen hormones have been found to be lower among women who smoke.

The researchers also found, however, that smoking was a less important factor in tooth loss due to caries.