English study reveals smoking leaves lasting marks on teeth

Researchers from Northumbria University, together with scientists from the University of Leicester, have for the first time demonstrated permanent marks left by smoking on teeth.[1]Published in the journal PLOS One, their work shows that the teeth of smokers, including those of former smokers, retain internal traces of their past tobacco consumption.

The lasting effects of tobacco on teeth, revealed by research

Teeth are composed of three main hard tissues: enamel, dentin, and cementum. The latter covers the root of the tooth and forms growth "rings" each year, similar to those of trees. By studying these rings in 88 teeth from current patients and archaeological remains, the researchers observed irregularities and differences in the thickness of these layers in smokers and ex-smokers, but very rarely in non-smokers.

The results indicate that 70 % of the former smokers and 33 % of the current smokers showed visible signs of damage to their cementum, compared to only 3 % of the non-smokers. The researchers also observed thickening of the cementum in the former smokers, likely caused by the rebuilding of stronger layers after quitting smoking.

According to Dr. Ed Schwalbe, co-author and professor in the School of Life and Health Sciences at Northumbria University, " It is now possible to determine whether a person has been a smoker simply by analyzing their teeth. ".

The study involved 46 living participants who had teeth extracted as part of routine dental care.[2]In one particular case, a participant's tooth showed damage that they estimated had occurred between the ages of 22 and 41. When the researchers looked at the patient's history, they discovered that the person, then 58, had smoked between the ages of 28 and 38.

This corresponded exactly to the available data. Smoking is known to have a systemic impact on the body and numerous studies have highlighted the correlation between smoking, periodontitis and tooth loss. ", added Dr. Valentina Perrone, lead author of the study. This study shows, for the first time, the biological recording of oral and dental damage linked to smoking within the dental structure. ".

Applications in archaeology and forensic science

The team extended their research to 18 teeth from human remains dated between 1776 and 1890. Using the cement-chronology technique, they were able to detect traces of tobacco consumption in some people who died more than two centuries ago, with results comparable to those observed in living patients.

Some ancient teeth exhibited stains or nicks associated with clay pipe smoking, and their cementum rings displayed the same disturbances as those of contemporary smokers. These observations provide a new tool for analyzing ancient lifestyles and allow for a better understanding of the effects of tobacco throughout history.

Dr. Sarah Inskip, a UKRI fellow at the University of Leicester's School of Archaeology and Ancient History, points out that these data are valuable for better understanding the long-term health consequences of tobacco use, using the period from 1600 to 1900 as an example.

The researchers indicated that they would like to conduct further research on smoking lesions in the modern population, taking into account the amount of tobacco consumed, urban pollution, other tobacco and nicotine products (e-cigarettes, snuff, etc.), as well as observing whether similar lesions appear in non-smokers with severe periodontitis.

Already in October 2024, a study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) had established that one-third of oral cancers are caused by smokeless tobacco.

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[1]Perrone V., Davies-Barrett AM, Migliario M., Randolph-Quinney P., Inskip SA, Schwalbe EC, “Reconstructing smoking history through dental cementum analysis - a preliminary investigation on modern and archaeological teeth”, PLoS One 20(5): e0323812, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323812

[2]Ralls Eric, Smoking leaves permanent traces in teeth deep below the surface - a new forensic, Earth.com, published June 24, 2025, accessed June 25, 2025

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