It is a myth that snus (Swedish snuff) users today have fewer dental caries. On the contrary, some types of nicotine-free snus contain both carbohydrates and starch that increase the risk of cavities, according to a thesis presented November 2 at the Sahlgrenska Academy, part of the University of Gothenburg.
Lena Hellqvist, a doctoral student at the academy and a member of staff at Karlstad University, studied oral health among snus users for her thesis, "Smoking, Snuffing and Oral Health with Special Reference to Dental Caries."
"Normal Swedish snus containing nicotine is alkaline and therefore raises oral pH levels, which could have a beneficial effect against acid attacks," she said in a press release. "However, there was no clinical confirmation during our studies that snus users have fewer caries today."
On the other hand, neither do snus users have more caries, which may be partially explained by the general improvement in oral health in Sweden and daily use of fluoride toothpastes, she added, although it is clear though that tobacco users visit the dentist and clean their teeth less often than nonusers.
People who use nicotine-free snus products also have reason to be watchful, according to Hellqvist. Her thesis revealed that while nicotine-containing snus only contains traces of carbohydrates and starch, nicotine-free snus can contain up to 26% starch and 6.5% carbohydrates.
"Our figures showed that some nicotine-free snus products considerably reduced users' plaque pH. Together with the high carbohydrate content, this means that use of nicotine-free snus can increase the risk of caries," said Hellqvist, who emphasized that the results only concern the products included in the study in question and not necessarily all products available on the market.
The thesis also showed that while tobacco use generally has fallen over the past 20 years, the number of snus users has increased in the same period, and that tobacco use is more common among single men than among men with a partner. There is no difference, however, when it comes to level of education or income.
