Moreover, the study found that there is a dose-response relationship between cigarettes smoked per day and the odds of periodontitis. Smokers who smoked less than a half a pack per day were almost three times more likely than nonsmokers to have periodontitis. Those who smoked more than one and a half packs per day had almost six times the risk. Tobacco's negative effect on periodontal health is well documented. Smoking interferes with healing, making smokers more likely to not respond to treatment and to loose teeth.
Tobacco use reduces the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to gingival tissue.
Meanwhile, smoking impairs the body's defense mechanisms, making smokers more susceptible to an infection like periodontal disease.