Believe it or not, up until the 1990s, doctors and nurses smoked in hospitals and even appeared in cigarette advertisements. In the modern era, however, most people are aware that tobacco products are bad for overall health. And while there’s a lot of research and evidence surrounding smoking and oral health, you may not know exactly how harmful smoking can be to the entirety of your mouth. At Country Club Dental Flagstaff, we are all about promoting oral health with each and every one of our patients. That’s why we wanted to share a few facts and statistics with you about the detriments of smoking and oral health.
How Does Smoking Impact Oral Health?
It’s well known that smoking leads to bad breath, tooth discoloration, and dry mouth. But these side effects are minor compared to the serious damage tobacco products can cause to your oral health.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), smoking commonly leads to cancer of the oral cavity, periodontal disease (gum disease), and tooth loss. So before you casually kick back and relax with that cigarette (or pipe, cigar, or chewing tobacco, for that matter), read the following facts.
- Smokers have a weakened immune system. This may not seem relevant to oral health, but a weakened immune system makes it harder for the body to fight off gum infection and disease.
- Smokers have twice the risk of gum disease than nonsmokers. Gum disease starts with harmful bacteria that turns into plaque and tartar. Due to a number of contributing factors, smokers have more plaque on their teeth and on the surrounding gums, which can ultimately lead to periodontal disease.
- The longer and more often you smoke, the greater your risk of tooth loss. Since gum disease is more likely with smokers, tooth loss is also more likely. When periodontal disease is advanced, pockets between the gums and teeth become infected, causing gum tissue to dramatically pull away from the teeth. If not treated early, this gum recession cannot be reversed, and ultimately results in tooth loss.
- Smoking significantly increases the chance of jaw bone loss. The bacterial infection that comes with advanced periodontal disease often reaches the alveolar bone (jaw bone) and leads to jaw bone loss.
- Jaw bone loss due to smoking limits restorative options. Once the jaw bone has deteriorated to a certain degree, it can make restorations such as dental bridges or implants difficult or impossible.
- Smoking decreases the mouth’s ability to heal. Smoking limits the growth and flow of blood vessels, therefore slowing down the healing process after oral surgery or injury.
- Oral cancer is the 11th most prevalent cancer in the world. While it’s nowhere near the top six, advanced oral cancer can easily spread and develop in other organs.
- Tobacco use is the most important risk factor for cancers of all kinds. 85% of head and neck cancer is linked to smoking. All forms of tobacco use increase the risk for this cancer, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, bidis and smokeless tobacco (including chewing tobacco and snuff).
Your Dentist in Flagstaff Who Cares
While these facts are grim, they are also under the control of each person. If smoking cessation is out of reach for a patient, we highly recommend increasing dental cleanings and checkups. Consult with one of our highly trained dentists to find out how you can decrease your risk of gum disease, tooth loss, and oral cancer today.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use. Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay (8/19/2019)
