The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of smoking on adult periodontitis after non-surgical periodontal therapy. The study population consisted of 40 patients with moderate to advanced periodontitis. Smokers(n=20) were defined as individuals smoking at least twenty cigarettes per day at the time of the initial examination. The non-smoking group(n=20) consisted of individuals who were not smoking at the initial examination. The average age was 42.4 years for the smoking and non-smoking group.

Examination regarding plaque index, gingival index, pocket depth and contrast phase microscope were performed. Evaluation were made at the first, the second and the fourth weeks after periodontal non-surgical therapy.

The results were as follows:

Clinical indices including plaque index, gingival index, and pocket depth were decreased in both smoking and non-smoking group at the first, the second, and the fourth weeks. Especially, clinical indices of non-smokers were more significantly decreased than those of smokers.

Non-motile rods were increased and motile rods were reduced at the fourth week. spirochetes were reduced significantly in the non-smoking group at the fourth week. These results suggest that smoking play a minor role in adult periodontitis after non-surgical periodontal therapy.