Effects of simultaneous nicotine and alcohol use in periodontitis progression in rats: A histomorphometric study

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of alcohol and nicotine, when used alone or simulta - neously, on the alveolar bone loss area resulting from ligature-induced periodontitis in rats. Study design: Forty adult male rats received a cotton ligature in the first lower molar sulcular area, and the animals were randomly assigned to different treatments (n = 10, each group) including daily peritoneal injections of saline solution (group A), submitted to self-administration of alcohol 25% (group B), nicotine solution in concentration 0.19 ?l/ml (group C), and nicotine solution in concentration 0.19 ?l/ml plus self-administration of alcohol 25% (group D). Five weeks later, the animal…