According to the American Lung Association, cigarette smoke is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, claiming over 393,000 lives each year. The numerous health effects of smoking are well-documented, but research continues to uncover evidence of cigarette smoke’s influence, and how not smoking can improve your quality of life. The good news is that smoking cessation is beneficial no matter how long you’ve been smoking, although sooner is much better as far as your health is concerned.

Smoking & Heart Health in Older Women

Smoking, diet, and weight management are intricately intertwined, especially in older women with diabetes. Researchers led by Juhua Luo, an epidemiologist at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington, analyzed data for over 104,391 postmenopausal women between the ages of 50-79. The data was collected by the Women’s Health Initiative, funded by the National Institutes of Health, and the study’s findings indicate that participants who quit smoking significantly reduced their risk of cardiovascular disease, even if they gained weight and/or had diabetes.

Smoking and Arthritis

How often you smoke and how long you’ve indulged in the habit influence the level of risk that cigarettes pose to your health, especially the risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA involves inflamed and damaged joints and cartilage, and can affect nearly any joint in the body. A team of researchers from the Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital suggests that smoking even a few cigarettes a day can double your risk for the autoimmune disease, compared to people who’ve never smoked.

Smoking and Sleep Quality

Cigarette is well-known for its threat to your cardiovascular health, but it can indirectly increase the threat, as well, by negatively impacting your sleep cycle. Chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to a wide range of physical and mental health problems, including increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, and depression, among many others. In 2013, University of Florida and Research Triangle Park researchers published the first comprehensive look at smoking’s effect on sleep quality over a large, nationally representative sample of participants. According to the results;

• 11.9% of smokers have trouble initially falling asleep
• 10.6 % of smokers have trouble staying asleep at night
• 9.5% of smokers wake up prematurely in the morning

About Your San Diego Periodontist:

As a board-certified periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania is specially qualified to diagnose and treat issues concerning periodontal tissue and the supportive structures of a patient’s smile, as well as place dental implants for patients with missing teeth. She also takes joy in helping patients quit their smoking and smokeless tobacco habits to improve their oral and overall health. To seek Dr. Kania’s help and expertise, visit our office or contact us today at (760) 642-0711.