Does Tabacco Really Have an Effect on Oral Health?

I'm going  to sound like a broken record, but you have been told a thousand times that smoking is bad for your health and you should really quit. And I know you’re probably really sick and tired of hearing about it and you think that you can quit whenever you’re ready. Studies have shown that tobacco addiction is worse than heroin and it takes the average smoker 8 quit attempts before they are actually successful.

So, we all know that smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in North America and if you continue to smoke it will kill you and in the best case scenario, make you constantly sick! But have you ever thought what the effects of smoking have on your mouth, teeth and gums and what people around you might not be saying but FOR SURE are thinking?

Tobacco Is Dangerous For Your Teeth

Tobacco contains many substances known to be destructive to your body`s cells and tissues. Smokers have more hardened dental plaque than non-smokers, and heavy smokers have more calculus than light smokers. Calculus is tartar or a form of hardened dental plaque

Narrowing Of The Blood Cells

The Nicotine in tobacco causes something called vasoconstriction or narrowing of the blood vessels.
Blood circulation – certainly an important function – has been shown to decrease as much as 70% in your mouth during the smoking of a cigarette. Tobacco smoking, furthermore, also affects your body`s immune system.

 

Gum Disease

Young people who think that smokeless ‘chewing tobacco’ is somehow safer than lighting up are putting themselves at terrible risk of illness too! Chewing tobacco releases a variety of chemicals into the body and often cause mouth sores, cracked and bleeding lips and gums, and can lead to cancer of the throat, mouth and gums.

What You Can Do

If you’re not too worried about the long term effects of smoking on your body, lungs and heart, at least now you’re clear on the effect of smoking on your teeth, mouth and gums. Take this advice: visit your dentist and get a thorough checkup and teeth cleaning and remember to quit smoking!!