Secondhand smoke leads to tooth decay in children - Brief Article

AORN Journal,  May, 2003  

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Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke experience a higher rate of tooth decay, according to a March 11, 2003, news release from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Data from household interviews and health examinations of approximately 4,000 children between ages four and 11 revealed that those who had high levels of cotinine (ie, a by-product of nicotine consistent with secondhand smoke exposure) had increased risk of tooth decay. Approximately 32% of children with high cotinine levels had decayed surfaces on their baby teeth compared to 18% of children with lower cotinine levels. The study did not find an association between secondhand smoke exposure and decay in permanent teeth.

Tooth decay is a public health problem that costs an estimated $4.5 billion in the United States per year. Although dental cavities in children have declined in the United States, children living in poverty with less access to dental care still are vulnerable to tooth decay. In this study, the risk of cavities in children exposed to secondhand smoke persisted after researchers controlled for factors such as poverty and frequency of dental visits.

AHRQ Study Links Secondhand Smoke to Tooth Decay in Children (news release, Rockville, Md: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, March 11, 2003).

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