Water Pipe Use and the Awareness of its Effect on Oral Health in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that forms of tobacco use, including cigarette smoking and water pipe (WP) use, cause a large and growing public health burden. Each year, universal tobacco use is estimated to kill about 5 million people, and is the cause for one in every five male deaths, and one in every 20 female deaths of individuals over age 30. By 2030, it is estimated that yearly tobacco deaths will rise to 10 million. Some argue that the public health burden caused by tobacco use in the Middle East has reached epidemic proportions.

Nicknamed“Shisha,” “Muassel,” and “Nargilha,” water pipe smoking (WPS) is especiallypopular among the young populations of the Arabian countries, Turkey, India, Pakistan, China, and Bangladesh . A recent study conducted in Jordan showed that among university students, WP use was as prevalent as cigarette smoking, with current use of 30% and 56% respectively, while a survey of students from four universities in Lebanon showed that WP use was more common than cigarette smoking among university students. Another recent study conducted in the United States showed WPS to be the second most used method of tobacco consumption. Further, WP use has been reported to be prevalent and growing in countries such as Vietnam. Read more..........