RESUMO
The aim of this study was to investigate the oral situation of long-term severely alcohol-addicted persons in a case-control-study. 28 controlled abstinent alcoholics and 30 control persons without any drinking history but who were smokers participated in the study. The mean age of the patients was 46 years, the alcohol addiction had existed for 17 years on average; the majority were heavy smokers with an average of two packs of cigarettes per day. The mean age of the control persons was 43 years, each of them smoked about one pack of cigarettes per day. The oral examination included the DMF-T and the different components, the QHI, the PBI and the CPI. Significant differences between the two groups were found for the following parameters: M-T (p < 0.0002), DMF-T and D-T (p < 0.002), PBI (p = 0.05). F-T and QHI revealed no differences. The periodontal examination showed that in 69% of the alcoholics and in 40% of the controls severe pocketing could be found (CPI 4). 4% of the patients and 20% of the controls had no periodontal pockets (CPI 0, 1 or 2). These results indicate that long-term severely alcohol-addicted persons have a high risk of periodontal breakdown and tooth loss. They also support the assumption that excessive consumption of alcohol may promote the progression of chronic periodontal disease.
