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Background: Smoking is correlated with a large number of oral conditions such as tooth staining and bad breath, periodontal diseases, impaired healing of wounds, precancer and oral cancer. These effects are often visible and in the early stages they are reversible after cessation of smoking. Dentists, as part of the health profession, are frequently in contact with the general population and there is evidence that they are as effective in providing smoking cessation counselling as any other healthcare group., Aims and Methods: Patients' knowledge of the effects of smoking and their attitudes towards the role of dentists in smoking cessation activities were analysed via a self-completing questionnaire and compared depending on their smoking status (smokers and non-smokers)., Results: The results show that patients hold very positive attitudes towards dentists' role in smoking cessation. The results also show that although patients have a good knowledge of the effects of smoking on general health, smokers are significantly less aware of the relationship between smoking and gum disease and on wound healing., Conclusions: Dentists should inform their patients about the oral effects of smoking and strongly advise them not to smoke, especially in patients diagnosed with periodontal disease and requiring surgical procedures.

Background: This study establishes baseline prevalence of smoking and cigarette consumption among Cork bar workers prior to the Republic of Ireland's (ROI) smokefree workplace legislation and compares gender- and age-specific smoking rates and estimates the adjusted odds of being a smoker for Cork bar workers relative to the general population., Methods: Cross-sectional random sample of bar workers in Cork city and cross-sectional random telephone survey of the general population were conducted prior to the smokefree legislation., Results: Self reported smoking prevalence among Cork bar workers (n = 129) was 54% (58% using cotinine-validated measures), with particularly high rates in women (70%) and 18-28 years old (72%). Within the ROI (n = 1,240) sub-sample rates were substantially lower at 28%. Bar workers were twice as likely to be smokers as the general population sub-sample (OR = 2.15)., Conclusions: Cork bar workers constitute an occupational group with an extremely high smoking prevalence.