Oral hygiene and periodontal health status among khat chewers. A case-control study

Background Habitual khat chewing is a widespread male habit in Southern Arabia and East Africa. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Khat chewing on oral hygiene and periodontal health status among Yemeni male khat chewers. Material and Methods This case- control study included 310 khat chewers, aged 20-65 years, and 72 age- and gender- matched non-chewers as controls. Periodontal examination included recording of dental plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing pocket depth (PPD), attachment level (AL) and gingival recession (GR). Demographic data, oral hygiene practices, and duration, frequency and site of khat chewing were obtained using questionnaires. SPSS was used f…