Histochemical Study of Gingival Epithelium in Smokers and Non-smokers

Smoking patients show reduction in inflammatory clinical signs that might be associated with local vasoconstriction and increased gingival epithelial thickness. The aim of the paper was to evaluate the thickness of the marginal gingival oral epithelium in smokers and non-smokers. Twelve biopsies were obtained from three different groups. Group I: non-smokers with gingivitis, group II: smokers and group III healthy persons without any periodontal disease. The biopsies were histologically processed, serially sectioned at 5 μm, followed by the evaluation of the major epithelial thickness, the epithelial base thickness and the external and internal epithelial parameters. The difference between the groups was analyzed using ANOVA test. The criteria for statistical significance were at the probablity level p< 0.05. A greater epithelial thickness was observed in smokers.