Influence of tobacco smoking on dental periapical condition in a sample of Croatian adults.

Background: Since current evidences support a negative influence of tobacco smoking on the periodontal bone, an increased prevalence or severity of periapical lesions would be expected among smokers. The aim of this study was to investigate the difference in the periapical status of endodontically treated and untreated teeth in current smokers and never-smokers.

Methods: The cross-sectional study included 259 subjects, 108 current smokers and 151 never-smokers, presenting as new patients at the Dental Clinic of the Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Croatia.