Global Bibliometric Analysis of Nicotine Exposure and Its Impact on Periodontal Disease Outcomes Among Adults

Objectives: Although the literature is extensive regarding cigarette smoking, limited attention has been given to the periodontal effects of nicotine-containing aerosol exposure from e-cigarettes and the use of smokeless tobacco (SLT) products. This study analyses global research trends related to nicotine and tobacco product exposure, including smoking, vaping and SLT and their reported effects on periodontal health. Materials and Methods: A bibliometric sampling and analysis of literature occurring between 2000 and 2025 was performed through Scopus and PubMed. Of the 8,574 records screened, 338 were selected based on inclusion criteria. Data were analyzed with respect to publication trends by year, contribution by geographic location and thematic focus, including types of tobacco and nicotine products, inflammatory markers and public health concerns. Results: From the year 2015 onwards, research output made remarkable growth, mainly due to the increase in studies on e-cigarettes. The continents of Europe, North America and Asia were the most significant contributors. Normality testing showed that citation variables were non-normal (all p < .001). Spearman correlation revealed a strong positive association between publication age and total citations ( ρ = 0.619, p < .001), while citations per year showed a small but significant correlation with publication age ( ρ = 0.153, p = .007). Conclusion: This research offers an analysis of the bibliometric data that follows the trends of nicotine and tobacco products in periodontal literature. It also shows the development of scholarly interest in this area throughout the years. Smoking remains the chief concern, but periodontists are increasingly studying the effects of vaping and SLT.