Effect of Smokeless Tobacco (Mishri) Application on Periodontal Health and Correlation to the Duration of Use

Abstract

Mishri is a form of smokeless tobacco used as a dentifrice in rural areas of central India. Mishri is applied to teeth and gums to clean the oral cavity. Mishri use has ill effects on oral health and periodontal tissues. The present study assessed the ill effect of mishri application periodontal tissues, and its correlation to the duration of use. A total of 300 subjects who used mishri as a dentifrice were considered. The enrolled subjects were categorized into three subgroups depending on the years of mishri usage. Age, gender, education level, socioeconomic status (SES), and body mass index (BMI), were recorded. Periodontal clinical parameters i.e. plaque index, gingival index, clinical attachment loss, and probing pocket depth were assessed. The data were statistically correlated with the duration of mishri usage with the Chi-square test and Analysis of variance. Out of the 300 subjects, 162 (54%) were males and 138 (46%) were females. SES and BMI had no association with mishri use but education level played a significant role in the avoidance of mishri use (P -0.041). All the periodontal clinical parameters deteriorated with the duration of mishri use (P -0.0001). It was concluded that mishri use was common in both genders. There was a deterioration of periodontal health and the progressive destruction of periodontal tissues with years of mishri use. The Dentist and community health workers should educate about the ill effects of tobacco use and mishri, as a dentifrice among the rural population.