OBJECTIVETo study the effect of smoking on the periodontium and level of aspartate aminotransferase in gingival cervical fluid (GCF-AST).

METHODSA proportion matched case-control filtration was performed in examined population, college students, outpatients from 1999 May to 2001 March 115 smokers aged from 23 to 65 years (102 men and 13 women) and 90 non-smokers aged from 25 to 70 years (80 men and 10 women) were chosen. Debris index (DI), calculus index (CI), periodontal disease index (PDI), GCF-AST were measured.

RESULTSNo obvious differences were observed in DI in smokers (0 degrees, 27.2%; 5 degrees, 5.0%) and non-smokers (0 degrees, 27.8%; 5 degrees, 4.2%),whereas obvious differences were found in CI in smokers and non-smokers. The percentages of patients without calculus were lower in smokers (9.8%) than in non-smokers (20.0%). The percentages of patients with weighty calculus were higher in smokers (25.4%) than in non-smokers (12.8%). The PDI values in smokers were higher than in non-smokers. The percentages of their normal periodontium were lower in smokers (9.6%) than in non-smokers (20.8%). The percentages of their periodontitis were higher in smokers (38.5%) than in non-smokers (25.8%). The smoking quantity were positively related to periodontitis (P < 0.001). No obvious differences were found in the level of GCF-AST with same PDI (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSmoking is considered as one of the risk factors in the prevalence of periodontal disease, but may not have any direct effect on GCF-AST.