Smoking affects more than just the lungs – it also damages your oral health. Check out these facts about the impact tobacco has on your teeth and gums if you smoke:
Nicotine and tar in cigarettes yellow your teeth within days, causing tough stains on the tooth surface that are difficult to get rid off through brushing or at home whitening treatments.
Smoking can dry out your mouth and leave behind chemicals that contribute to chronic bad odours, better known as “smoker’s breath.” For advice from a Dentist Bournemouth, visit https://gentledentistry.co.uk/
Gum Disease: Smokers are four times more likely to have gum disease. Smoking decreases immunity by allowing more vulnerability to catch an infection. This can cause your gums to swell and bleed, then recede along the root of a tooth which leads to exposure. If not treated in time, this results in tooth loss.
Slow Healing: Smoking decreases blood flow to the gums resulting in delayed healing after dental work or injury. As a result, more recovery time is often required and it’s usually associated with greater risks of complications like infections.
Higher Incidence of Oral Cancer: One major threat due to the use of tobacco is oral cancer, which can affect all tissues in or around the mouth such as lips, tongue, cheeks and throat. Often the initial signs are subtle and go unnoticed by you which is why dental check-ups at regular intervals are important.
Taste and Smell: Smoking can lessen or remove your ability to taste things, as a result you might be unable to notice that something is wrong with food.
The best thing you can do for your oral health is smoking cessation. If you are having trouble, your dentist can provide guidance and assist in your commitment to guard the health of your teeth and gums.
