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Introduction: Smoking is one of the major risk factor of the periodontal disease characterised by clinical
attachment loss. Smoking has an effect on treatment outcomes of periodontal disease. The healing response
to nonsurgical periodontal therapy between smokers and nonsmokers when compared can be a basis to
know the effect of smoking and would be helpful for smoking cessation counselling. This study holds the
importance because no such study has been done in the Nepalese population.
Objective: To establish the effect of smoking on response to nonsurgical periodontal therapy by comparing
smokers and nonsmokers.
Materials and Method: Non-surgical periodontal therapy was performed on 60 male subjects (30 smokers
and 30 nonsmokers) of age 35-54yrs without any systemic diseases. Probing pocket depth, clinical attachment
level, oral hygiene status and Gingival status were assessed at baseline, at 2 wks, 1 mth, 3 mths and 6 mths
after completion of non-surgical periodontal therapy.
Result: Improvement in oral hygiene index score, plaque index score and gingival index score was obtained
both in smokers and nonsmokers but at 3 mths and 6 mths there was statistically significant difference
between smokers and nonsmokers showing more improvement in nonsmokers compared to smokers. Mean
PPD reduction in smokers was 1.02 mm from baseline to 6 mths time whereas in nonsmokers mean PPD
reduction was 2.37 mm which is twice more than the reduction in smokers. Mean gain in clinical attachment
level in smokers was 0.39 mm and in nonsmokers it was 1.11 mm which is also twice more than the gain in
smokers.
Conclusion: Smokers responded less favorably than nonsmokers to nonsurgical periodontal therapy.

Clinical attachment level; healing response; nonsurgical periodontal therapy; probing pocket 
depth; smoking.