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Background: To determine whether tobacco, alcohol consumption and other risk factors are associated with self-reported tooth loss. Methods: A cross-sectional study of a community-based sample of 8,467 college students was carried out in Mexico. Data were collected using questionnaires. The dependent variable was self-reported tooth loss, and any number above zero was considered positive for tooth loss. Oral hygiene, gum bleeding, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption, along with information on sociodemographic characteristics were considered as independent variables. Results: Respondents reported tobacco use (25.1%) and alcohol consumption (weekly mean 2.5 SD 5.2 units). A minority of respondents (12.8%) reported having lost at least one tooth. The multivariate analysis showed that smoking more than five cigarettes a day was associated with an increased probability of tooth loss (p < .01), while alcohol intake did not (p > .05). Older age and female sex were associated with tooth loss. Conversely, good oral hygiene and absence of gum bleeding were protective factors against self-reported tooth loss. Conclusions: We confirmed that smoking is a factor associated with tooth loss in a sample of communitydwelling young college students. A narrow array of clinical, sociodemographic, and socioeconomic variables also showed an association with tooth loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]