We’ve all heard it before: smoking is bad for your health. And it’s true, the carcinogens in cigarettes are known to cause cancer, as well as a multitude of other health issues. But what do you know about it affecting your oral health? As you have heard time and again about awful the effects that smoking can have on your health, and you might already know how it can negatively affect your mouth as well. Here are some ways that smoking is ruining your gums and teeth, in addition to the other aspects of your health that it’s negatively affecting.
SMOKING AND YOUR ORAL HEALTH
YOUR ORAL HEALTH IS AFFECTED BY SMOKING
- Yellowing – While this is one of the least harmful affects of smoking, it’s also one of the most unsightly. Yellow teeth are not only ugly, they’re unhealthy. Smoking is not good for your teeth by any means.
- Periodontitis – This is when your gums shrink up and deplete. They begin to die off because of excessive tobacco use. In fact, 75 percent of all adult periodontitis cases are a result of smoking cigarettes.
- Oral Cancer – Using tobacco can lead to oral cancer. If your gums are tender or even numb, you could have the beginning stages of oral cancer.
- Bone loss – As tobacco use can lead to periodontitis, the exposed roots of your teeth can cause sensitivity, and are prone to decay.
If you’re a smoker, you have heard time and again that you should quit. If losing your mouth to tobacco doesn’t seem worth it, talk to your dentist about the condition that your mouth is currently in, and if you can do anything to make it better. Take your oral health seriously, and schedule an appointment with a dental clinic near you today.