Smoking is considered to be one of the greatest evils that can wreak havoc on your overall health. It not only contributes to the cardiovascular and lung ailments, but it is also responsible for several lesions in the mouth and the gum disease is one of the most common outcomes of smoking.
The chance of the dental implant failure is most common among the smokers as compared with those who don’t smoke. The gum ailment around the places of implants among those who smoke is also quite common.
Apart from that, the complications associated with the surgery and the extractions in the mouth and the risks of oral cancer development also enhance because of smoking.
Naturally, when you quit smoking, the risks of developing oral cancer and gum ailment actually decrease in you and your response to gum ailment treatment also increases.
In order to keep their teeth and the gums to be working and healthy, the smokers must make it a point to visit their dentist at regular intervals and try to quit it as soon as possible.
Here are some of the major effects of smoking on the teeth and the gums. Just take a look.
- Tooth Decay – Research reveals that tobacco smoke consists of about 6500-7000 chemicals including the acetic acid, acetone, arsenic, ammonia benzene, butane, carbon monoxide, cadmium, lead, formaldehyde, naphthalene, nicotine, methanol, toluene and tar and so on. Many of these chemicals attack and break the protective enamel down covering the teeth and make it susceptible to the decay. The enhanced risk of tooth decay among the smokers also increases their risk for losing teeth. And the other teeth can also shift their positions when you lose one tooth. If you experience decaying of the teeth from the prolonged smoking and other habits of poor hygiene, you may need cosmetic dentistry, restorative dental procedures like bridges and crowns and endodontic procedures like the root canals.
- Gum Disease – The tobacco and the smoking can engender gum disease by impacting the attachment of soft tissue and bone to the teeth. Moreover, smoking also interferes with the usual functioning of the cells of the gum tissues. The interference, however, makes the smokers more susceptible to the infections like periodontal disease and also it impairs the blood flow to the gums. This affects the healing of the wounds in a negative manner.
- Discoloration of Teeth – Most of the people are aware that smoking can ruin your teeth and discolour them within the shortest period of time. The white teeth with the regular use of tobacco can turn to be brown or yellow ones. The more you smoke the more likely you notice the discolouration of the teeth. The amount and the length of time through which you smoke are also going to determine how stained your teeth can become. You can search online to know the nasty effects of smoking on teeth discolouration.
- Tongue Cancer – A large majority of the people are diagnosed with the tongue cancer every year. The link between tongue cancer and the cigarette smoke are linked with an increased rate of tongue cancer. The symptoms start as small white bumps that grow further if left untreated. The tongue cancer can be cured easily if it is not treated. However, it can be cured if it is diagnosed and treated early. But if the patient is a smoker then the cancer can spread rapidly to various areas of the body including the lymphatic system.
- Effects on the Blood Circulation – The smoking affects the normal gum tissue functioning restricting the flow of blood and causing the infections. It also delays the healing after the surgery for tooth extraction, dental implants or gum ailment treatment. This makes recovering after the procedures to be extremely challenging. Smokers can notice their gums to bleed easily at the time of brushing and flossing.
The above are some of the damaging effects of smoking on your teeth and gums. Now that you know, you should try to quit this as soon as possible. You should consult with the most reputed dentist in Greenpointregarding this. She can definitely guide you to shun this habit and stay away from it.
Quitting to smoke is not only beneficial for your oral health but also your overall health. So steering clear from this is highly advisable and the faster you do it the better for you.
