OBJECTIVES: To verify oral changes in smokers and the impact of changes on masticatory function compared with individuals who never smoked. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study had a prospective cross-sectional descriptive and comparative design. The study sample consisted of 48 subjects classified into 2 study groups consisting of 24 subjects each: tobacco users and individuals who had never smoked. The following oral amendments were assessed: number of teeth to verify tooth loss, halitosis, lesions suggestive of caries, and periodontal problems characterized by redness and gingival retraction, as well as chewing and grinding patterns and speed of mastication. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: There was no statistically significant difference in tooth loss between the groups according to analysis with the Student's t test, but the smokers had higher tooth losses than the control group. Furthermore, analysis with the Fisher exact test revealed that smokers had more halitosis, lesions suggestive of caries, and periodontal problems compared with nonsmokers, and that halitosis was associated with the presence of periodontal problems, which can lead to tooth loss. Regarding chewing, mastication speed was reduced and was associated with occlusal changes, and there was more variation in the chewing pattern, which consisted predominantly of crushing with the tongue, in the smokers. Thus, there is an association between smoking and dental changes, which generate increased variability in chewing.
