Why Is Tobacco Use Bad For Your Oral Health?

It may not be as widely known that smoking and tobacco products impact the teeth and gums. Contact our office in Plano, TX if you are noticing the effects of tobacco on your oral health.

Can Tobacco Ruin Teeth?

Most people are aware that tobacco use stains your teeth but it also wears them down quicker too. Cigars, chewing tobacco, snuff, and unprocessed tobacco all contain tiny particles that are abrasive to tooth enamel. When chewed and mixed with your saliva and chewed, an abrasive paste is created that wears down teeth over time.

Smoking and tobacco use also limit the effectiveness of many dental treatments. The effects of nicotine and smoke on your mouth include reduced blood flow, increased bacteria, and inflammation. These issues can make it difficult to replace lost teeth using restorative dental procedures.

For example, implants and bridges might not be an option for a tobacco user because your surrounding teeth and jawbone may have eroded from infection or decay and are no longer strong enough to support these procedures. Research shows that due to slow healing and weaker jawbone tissue, the implant failure rate for smokers was almost 16 percent, compared to just 1.4 percent in nonsmokers.

Treating Gum Disease Is Harder

First of all, smokers are twice as likely to develop gum disease than non-smokers. Then, your immune system has a much harder time fighting the infection due to the effects of nicotine. Therefore, using tobacco can cause a simple infection to develop into something worse like an abscess or even sepsis. Also, smokers that are being treated for gum disease have more difficulty coping with the symptoms of gum disease. Additionally, smoking also hinders the growth of blood vessels, which means less blood flow to the gum tissues which slows healing after oral surgery.

What About Chewing Tobacco?

Smokeless tobacco (also known as snuff or chewing tobacco) is a primary cause of cancers of the mouth, lip, tongue and pancreas. Like cigarettes, chewing contains at least 28 cancer-causing chemicals.

Issues caused by smokeless tobacco include:

• Risk for cancer of the voice box, esophagus, colon, and bladder due to swallowing toxins in the juice created by chewing.
• Irritation of your gums, which can lead to gum (periodontal) disease.
• Increased risk of tooth decay as sugar is often added to enhance the flavor of chewing tobacco.
• Tooth sensitivity and erosion due to sand and grit from smokeless tobacco wearing down teeth.

What Can I Do?

If you’re a smoker, you can start by recognizing that tobacco/nicotine dependence is an addiction. All aspects of nicotine addiction need to be addressed to break the habit. It’s not uncommon for smokers to make several attempts at quitting several times before they finally succeed. If you’re a smoker, consult your medical doctor and dentist to find a strategy that can help you quit for good.

Ultimately, the effects of smoking and using tobacco on teeth can lead to tooth decay, gum disease and pose a challenge with restorative dentistry. For more information or help restoring your teeth from the destruction caused by tobacco use, schedule with Dr. Mark Sowell of Aesthetic Dentistry Centre in Plano, TX by calling (972) 382-6855 or schedule a dental appointment online today.