SMOKING AND ORAL HEALTH

If you use tobacco, you are probably familiar with the reasons why you should stop. Here are a few more to help you quit once and for all.

Although the damage you may be doing to your lungs can not readily be seen, the damage to your smile is much more evident. Tobacco often causes unsightly stains on tooth enamel but it’s also responsible for diseases of the mouth.

Smoking may be responsible for more than half of periodontal (gum) diseases among adults. Smokers have a much greater risk of developing oral cancer than do nonsmokers. And heavy smoking and drinking together puts you at even greater risk of developing oral cancer.

Smoking & Oral Health

Consider these tobacco threats to your oral health and overall health:

• Oral cancer ( India has the maximum incidence of oral cancer due to smoke and smokeless tobacco)
• Periodontal (gum) disease – a leading cause of tooth loss and of sensitivity to hot and cold (smoking reduces the blood supply to the supporting structures of the teeth and therefore diminish your body’s ability to fight bacteria and bacterial toxins);
• Bad breath;
• Stained teeth and tongue;
• Diminished sense of taste and smell;
• Delayed healing after a tooth extraction or other oral surgery;
• Difficulties in correcting cosmetic dental problems( changes the color of your teeth)
• Build-up of tartar on the teeth (which further leads to periodontitis)
• Fewer options for some kinds of dental care (smokers can be poor candidates for particular treatment such as implants);

Ways to Quit Smoking:

• Develop the list of your own personal reasons for quitting.
• Set a date to quit in the near future and stick to it.
• Join a quit smoking program for support.
• Enlist the support of your dentist, physician, family, friends, and co-workers.
• Exercise. It may make you feel better about yourself and your decision to quit smoking.
• Keep your mouth occupied. Sugarless gum may fend off an urge to smoke. CHEWING GUMS WITH NICOTINE SUBSITUTES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE. Ask your dentist for a prescription to help you phase out your problem of smoking.
• Choose a low-stress time to quit perhaps during a vacation.
• Don’t carry matches or tobacco.
• Try all available resources including audiotapes and videotapes, books, pamphlets, tip sheets and other self-help materials to successfully quit smoking.