Cigarette smoking and periodontitis: methodology to assess the strength of evidence in support of a causal association.

摘要: – Identication of the cause development and progression periodontitis has received extensive attention, with notable advances over past decade in clinical, microbiological, immunological, biochemical, behavioral knowledge. However, it is still largely unknown which factors lead to conversion non-destructive forms periodontal disease into destructive progression. Chronic adult believed be inuenced by an interaction host defense environmental factors. Although these variables have been studied extensively, no study employed randomized controlled prospective human or community intervention designs, methodologies necessary prove a variable periodontitis. Owing absence literature employing rigorous experimental design, this article assesses systematically observational, cross-sectional longitudinal studies examine potential causal association between cigarette smoking The methodology Sir Bradford Hills's criteria for causation was used as framework. Results suggest that causally associated That is, consistently increased prevalence/severity suspected on theoretical grounds playing role. Hills provide useful better understand pathogenesis diseases may applied other dental well.