The Effects of Smokeless Tobacco on Oral Health: A Cross-Sectional Study
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Background: Smokeless tobacco is widely used in Pakistan, particularly in the form of snuff or naswar, and its direct contact with oral tissues may contribute to dental, periodontal, and mucosal abnormalities. Objective: To assess smokeless tobacco-use patterns, perceptions, oral-hygiene practices, and oral-health findings among smokeless tobacco users attending selected hospitals in Peshawar. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted over five months at Naseer Khan Babar Memorial Hospital, Lady Reading Hospital, and Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar. A total of 193 smokeless tobacco users were selected through non-probability convenience sampling. Data were collected using a self-structured questionnaire and oral examination with tongue depressors. Frequencies and percentages were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: Most participants were male, 187 (96.9%), and the largest age group was 26–32 years, 59 (30.6%). Snuff was the most common product, used by 153 participants (79.3%). Duration of use was less than 5 years in 86 participants (44.6%) and 6–15 years in 70 (36.3%). Overall, 180 participants (93.3%) perceived smokeless tobacco as harmful to oral health, yet 174 (90.2%) believed it was safer than cigarette smoking. Placement-site lesions were reported in 141 participants (73.1%), while dental caries was the most frequent dental abnormality, affecting 61 (31.6%). Conclusion: Snuff use predominated among participants, and oral lesions, dental abnormalities, and comparative-risk misconceptions were common
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