Thursday, March 15, 2007

Dental Did You Know: Secondhand Smoke and Tooth Decay

Hi all,

I was just reading the AGD (Academy of General Dentistry) Impact Magazine and came across this news blurb:

According to a study supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), children exposed to secondhand smoke have a higher rate of tooth decay than those who are not.

I'm not sure of the biological mechanism involved here (more research will be needed), but it is always a good idea to limit the exposure of secondhand smoke to young children based on the respiratory effects alone.

Source AGD Impact, March 2007, Vol 35, No 3, pg 18.


Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100