Smoking and oral health is connected. Just ask the American Dental Association and they will tell you tobacco products cause tooth decay and gum disease, and it doesn’t matter if you inhale or chew.
How is Smoking and Oral Health Connected?
Most people know that smoking causes lung cancer and other deadly diseases, but did you know that it could also cause gum disease and tooth decay? Stained teeth aside, many other tooth related issues occur when you ingest tobacco products.
According to Dr. George Sanchez, gum disease occurs more rapidly in a smoker’s mouth than a non-smoker. Other problems that occur in a tobacco user’s mouth include:
- Chronic Halitosis
- Tooth Loss
- Stained Teeth
- Gum Disease
- Loss of Smell
- Loss of Taste
- Reduced Blood Flow to your Mouth
- Plaque and Tartar Buildup
- Delayed Healing
- Increase Risk of Oral Cancer
- Chewing Tobacco Isn’t Safer
Of course, chewing tobacco isn’t any better for your teeth and is just as bad. Smoking and oral health includes any tobacco that you put in your mouth. Sugarless tobacco is loaded with sugar. Although you don’t have to deal with sugar in cigarettes, you do in smokeless tobacco products.
Your dentist in Delray Beach explains that chewing tobacco is full of chemicals and sugar and sugar causes tooth decay. It’s that simple.
Cigars Pipes and Hookah and Smoking and Oral Health
People are led to believe that cigars are healthier because you don’t inhale. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. Even though you aren’t healing, you are still at risk for oral cancer and mouth lesions. Gum disease is also more prevalent in cigar smokers.
The same goes for Hookah pipes and pipes as you are still inhaling tar and nicotine. On top of that, research indicates that the charcoal used to light the tobacco for the hookah is even more lethal.
Smoking and oral health is connected. If you are having trouble quitting, talk to your primary care physician and don’t forget to schedule an appointment with your Delray Beach dentist as people who smoke should see Dr. George more often than patients who don’t smoke or chew tobacco.
Call and schedule an appointment with your dentist in Delray Beach today.
