Summary: | Background/purpose: Although the clinical impact of areca nut chewing on periodontal status had been reported, the results of epidemiological studies on areca nut or betel quid chewing did not show the same influence on periodontitis. This study assessed the influence of variables such as areca nut chewing, sociodemographic variables, lifestyle, and oral hygiene behavior on the periodontal status of people in a typical aboriginal community in Southern Taiwan.
Materials and methods: A survey was conducted on an aboriginal community in Taiwan, because nonsmoking chewers are rare in cities. In total, 114 aboriginal residents, 30–60 years old, were recruited for this study. Clinical measurements included bleeding on probing, pocket depth, clinical attachment loss (CAL), and tooth loss. Adjusted means were estimated by least-squares means. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between potential risk factors and CAL.
Results: Age- and sex-adjusted means showed that the CAL of chewers was significantly higher than that of the control group. The chewing of more than 33,000 pieces of areca nut resulted in significant CAL. Multiple regression showed that areca nut chewing led to 0.16 mm (P = 0.0298) total CAL for every thousand pieces, and plaque index was a significantly strong contributing factor.
Conclusion: The results indicated that areca nut chewing might significantly enhance CAL in the population. Improved oral hygiene, fewer additives, and reduced use of areca nut would significantly reduce CAL, which should be encouraged for chewers.
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