Knowledge about the Systemic and Oral Effects of Smoking in the State of Jammu and Kashmir

Introduction: Smoking is responsible for 100 million deaths around the world and has been associated with decrease in life expectancy. The prevalence of smoking in Jammu and Kashmir is among the highest in all the states in India. This article is grading the awareness of the masses of Jammu and Kashmir toward smoking and the role of dentists in motivating the people to quitting smoking. Aim: The study aims at analyzing the knowledge and awareness of oral and systemic side-effects of smoking in general public. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted by issuing a self-administered questionnaire to 100 patients who visited Indira Gandhi Government Dental College in January 2015. A descriptive data analysis was performed using Chi-square test to check the statistical significance among the awareness of smokers, non-smokers, and ex-smokers. Results: Among the 100 patients screened there was significant difference among the smokers and non-smokers regarding hair loss (P = 0.000), lines on skin (P = 0.000), tooth decay (P = 0.0451), bad taste in mouth (0.01), wound healing (P = 0.0081), gum diseases (P = 0.000) and oral cancer (P = 0.000). About 75% smokers showed willingness to quit if suggested by the dentist. Conclusion: As dentists we all should be very active in motivating the patient against smoking as it can create a significant improvement in both general and oral health of the patient.