The dangers of smoke and tobacco to your health are not a well-guarded secret. Experts, including the surgeon general, agree that smoking kills healthy tissue cells and can lead to or exacerbate a wide variety of health issues, including lung disease and cancer. Since your mouth is the first part of your body to come into contact with cigarette smoke, we explore the damage tobacco smoke can wreak on your oral health.
Tobacco and Gum Disease
Gum disease affects over 75% of adults in the US, and is the leading cause of adult tooth loss. Because it is so common, some people tend to underestimate its importance and the damage that can stem from it. Gum disease affects the tissue and bone structures that support your teeth, leading to tooth loss and jawbone deterioration. Tobacco, whether smoked or chewed, affects proper cell function, leaving soft gum tissue more susceptible to infection and disease.
Worse than Gum Disease
Because tobacco affects your oral tissue’s cell function, it is also a major contributing factor to the development of oral cancer. Contrary to popular belief, chewing tobacco does not lessen your risk of oral cancer compared to smoking tobacco. Both products contain hundreds of toxic chemicals, dozens of which have been associated with risks for cancers of all types.
No Tobacco, and a Periodontal Cleaning
Tobacco is so toxic that the only remedy to protect against it is to quit using it. Luckily, gum treatment can improve the health of your gums if they become at risk for gingivitis and gum disease. Surgical and non-surgical treatments involve removing plaque, tartar, and toxins from above and below the gum line. Teeth roots are smoothed to inhibit bacteria from clinging to it and to facilitate the healing and reattachment of gum tissue.
ABOUT YOUR SAN DIEGO LASER PERIODONTIST:
To learn how to keep your teeth and gums healthy for life, subscribe to this blog, and visit Dr. Kania for a consultation. 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 to restore teeth lost to dental disease or trauma. To seek Dr. Kania’s expertise, visit our office or contact us today at (760) 642-0711.