How Tobacco Affects Oral Health

One of the worst things you can do for your oral health is to use tobacco products. The truth of the matter is that there is no safe version of tobacco. Whether it is smoked or chewed, tobacco poses significant risks to your oral health.

Millions of people die every year from diseases caused by tobacco usage, and the numbers seem to be trending upward. Tobacco has been known to put its users at an increased risk of periodontal disease. Without quitting smoking and seeking professional treatment, periodontal disease can lead to bone and tooth loss. Tobacco also decreases the ability to heal from wounds suffered in your oral cavity. The use of tobacco also leads to oral cancers and pre-cancers.

Another troubling aspect about tobacco smoking is secondhand smoke. All of the above problems can be experienced by non-smokers if they live with somebody who does smoke. Women of childbearing age also run the risk of passing on health problems to their babies if they do not quit smoking.

The only effective way to minimize the damage caused by tobacco is to completely stop using it. If you are a smoker who wishes to stop, your dentist or another healthcare provider will be happy to refer you to a smoking cessation program. If you do not believe that smoking will harm you, these same providers can show you plenty of evidence of the harm they have seen it cause their patients over years.

Contact our dental office if you are looking for more information about the benefits of living a smoke-free life.