The Consequences Of Smoking

How your mouth can be affected if you smoke or consume tobacco products.

For those of us of a certain age, it doesn’t seem so long ago that workers smoked as they went about their daily job. At one time, even doctors recommended cigarettes to help with stress!  Those days are now long gone with a better understanding of the health risks, along with the very high cost.

In 2015, just over 17% of the population still smoked, getting through just over eleven cigarettes a day (1). This is still a significant amount of people, although compared to approximately 50% of people smoking in the UK in 1970, this is definitely an improvement.

Anyone that does still smoke though, is putting both their general and oral health at risk, and, below, we take a look at some of the risks that smoking can cause to your mouth.

Oral cancer

Oral cancers are the most serious risk, and one that kills over two thousand people a year in the UK, with many more suffering other problems including facial disfigurement. At Alexandra Dental Care, we always check the soft tissues of the mouth when our local patients receive a check up. If we notice any areas of concern, we may recommend that you are checked by your GP.

Gum disease

Smokers have a higher incidence of gum disease than non smokers. There are a number of possible reasons for this. The many chemicals in tobacco can irritate the soft tissues, but also the healing of any wounds or injuries is slower in non smokers as blood flow is often restricted due to the narrowing of blood vessels. In addition to this, smokers often have a dry mouth which is the perfect breeding ground for ‘bad’ gingival bacteria.

Halitosis

It is not just the smell of tobacco that causes smokers to have unpleasant breath. As gum disease is more likely, the smell of decayed flesh and the gases expelled by bacteria can be very pungent indeed.

Stained teeth

The tar in tobacco is sticky and will find its way into the microscopic pits on the surface of our teeth. This can be very difficult to remove. A professional clean by the hygienist at Alexandra Dental Care may help, though a tooth whitening procedure, or for very badly stained teeth, dental veneers, are likely to be the most practical ways to have white teeth again.

Whether you smoke or not, but especially if you do, regular oral health checks are important and may even save your life. If you live in the Burton and Ashby areas and would like to make an appointment, please call us on 01283 216347.

Google+