Evaluation of the effects of periodontal treatment on levels of ascorbic acid in smokers.

Smokers consistently have lower levels of vitamin C, which is important for optimal healing, especially following invasive procedures. Some studies demonstrated that patients undergoing surgery experience significant reductions in systemic vitamin C levels, presumably due to higher metabolic utilization of existing vitamin pools. However, there appear to be no studies evaluating the effect of non-surgical periodontal therapy on plasma levels of vitamin C.