We’ve known for years that smoking is bad for your general health but what about smoking and oral health?
Some might say the only dental consequence associated with smoking is stained teeth. But the truth is that smoking is one of the worst things you can do for the health of your teeth, gums, and other oral tissues.
Today, we’ll look at how smoking impacts your dentition. We hope that this will give you even more reasons to quit smoking – or to avoid picking up the habit if you’re tempted to do so.
Here are just a few ways smoking affects your oral health.
Probably the earliest and most noticeable side-effect of smoking is enamel staining. Tobacco turns the teeth yellow and eventually very dark yellow with a brown tinge. In addition to the whole tooth turning darker colors, even darker stains can develop in the cracks and grooves of the teeth, as well as around the gumline.
Sometimes, teeth whitening can help but in extreme circumstances, cosmetic dentistry in Gardena is the best option for severe stains.
A 2010 study linked low salivary flow rate (SFR) with smoking. Dry mouth contributes to a host of dental issues, including:
As much as smokers may try to hide the smell of nicotine and tobacco on their breath, gum and mints just don’t cut it.
Part of the reason for this is because the smoke is inhaled into the lungs and the particles imbed themselves into the soft tissues of the lungs, as well as the soft tissues of the mouth and throat.
Though you may mask the odor in your mouth, you can still have bad breath because of the particles still in your lungs.
Also, if you have dry mouth from smoking, you’re more likely to have chronic bad breath as well.
Due to staining, calculus build-up, and dry mouth caused by smoking, you’re also at a higher risk of developing dental decay.
Stains are sticky, making it easier for bacteria-laden plaque to stick to your teeth and harder to remove. This gives the bacteria a better opportunity to attack the enamel and break it down, causing a cavity.
Normally, saliva can wash away some of the debris that contributes to decay. But since most smokers have reduced saliva flow, they don’t have that extra layer of protection from cavities.
By far the scariest way smoking impacts oral health is that it puts you at higher risk of cancer, including oral cancer.
Tobacco stimulates the body to release free radicals because it is a type of oxidative stress. The more free radicals you have, the higher your risk of cancer – not only orally, but throughout your body.
According to Johns Hopkins:
And according to the American Cancer Society, there will be over:
Another area of concern is the link between smoking and gum disease. According to the CDC, smoking weakens the immune system, which makes it harder to fight the bacteria that cause gum disease. Also, once you have gum damage, it’s more difficult for the gums to heal – again, because of the lowered immune response.
Some statistics from the CDC:
Not only does this put you at risk for gum infections, but it also puts you at risk for tooth loss. If gum disease isn’t (or can’t be) treated, it will progress to the point where the bone recedes, leading to mobile teeth and eventually tooth loss.
Smoking and dental work can also become an issue for people who need restorative services. In many cases, smokers are not ideal candidates for procedures like dental implants.
There are two reasons for this.
First, if you have bone loss due to gum disease and smoking, you might not have enough bone structure to support a dental implant.
Second, since smoking can contribute to gum disease and bone loss, even if you have plenty of bone now, you might lose it in the future, causing the implant to fail.
Additionally, some cosmetic or restorative work in Gardena may not provide the long-term aesthetic results you want because of the staining caused by tobacco.
Ultimately, if you need certain dental treatments, your Gardena dentist may recommend quitting smoking first.
If you’ve had cosmetic dentistry in Gardena and you smoke, your dentist will likely inform you that the work may be at risk of:
Due to the adverse side-effects of smoking, dental work is at risk of breaking down more rapidly than it would with normal wear and tear.
Dental bonding or composite fillings can stain, particularly around the margins where the natural tooth and filling material meet.
You might not have uniform tooth color because some dental crowns or veneers are a lighter shade (matching the shade of your teeth before you started smoking) than the current shade of your teeth, which is darker due to tobacco staining.
This is what your Gardena dentist wants you to know: Ultimately, the best thing you can do for your overall health, oral health, existing restorations, and future dental work is to quit smoking.
Though it may feel impossible, quitting smoking is possible – and it is being done by many every single day.
Thanks to medical innovations, we now have access to medications and supplements that can assist with anti-smoking efforts. Gums, patches, and pills are prescribed by medical practitioners and patients are having success with them!
If you want to quit smoking, we urge you to talk to your physician about ways that can help you quit successfully. We also urge you to join a support group or talk to a counselor regularly throughout your process.
Quitting is not easy. Unfortunately, it is easy to relapse because tobacco products are so incredibly addictive. But you can set yourself up for success when you get the tools and support you need to quit.
Do you have dental issues related to smoking? We can help! Contact our team to schedule a consultation.