Studies have overwhelmingly shown smoking to be bad for your health, and can cause many diseases, most commonly cancers, such as lung and oral cancer. There are a number of adverse effects smoking has on your oral health. Here is why quitting smoking can save your oral health, including your teeth – and ultimately your life.
First of all, it is no mystery that smoking – even smokeless tobacco, and chewing tobacco can cause mild issues from bad breath and tooth discoloration; however, there are many more dental conditions – even serious oral disease directly related to smoking; these include:
• Gum disease – people who smoke has an increased risk of producing bacterial plaque, leading to gum disease. Gums are affected because smoking results in a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream, so if you have infected gums, they will not heal.
• Delayed healing from oral surgery – Again, because of the reduced oxygen in the blood, healing is delayed, since we need oxygen in the tissues to heal.
• Oral Cancer – because tobacco passes through the lips, mouth, teeth, and tongue, there is a much higher incidence of developing oral cancer and is vital to schedule an appointment with Dr. Scott A. Ervin to get an examination that includes an oral cancer screening.
• Cavities – since smoking causes an increase in plaque, your chances of getting decay are much higher.
• Bad breath – Every time you smoke, there are more than 4,000 chemicals that pass through your oral cavity, with many ending up collecting in your mouth’s surface; it also dries out your mouth and can lead to gum infection and sinus disease, resulting in post-nasal drip.
For more information on quitting, please contact our dentist at Scott A. Ervin DDS PA. You can reach out by calling 972-563-1670. Let us help you quit smoking and save your dental health in Terrell, Texas.