How Tobacco Use Impacts Your Dental Health

Why ‘Right Now’ is a Great Time to Quit

Picture of calendar open to January 1, with an extinguished cigarette butt. — *Tobacco use is devastating to dental health. That’s why there’s no better time to quit than today.*

The dangers of cigarettes and their impact on our lungs is well documented, but tobacco and other related products (i.e., electronic cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and cigars) affect our dental health as well. The New Year is a perfect time to let go of unhealthy habits and choose new paths that can contribute to our quality of life.

Tobacco Impacts Your Smile, and Your Health!

Most people know that all forms of tobacco including cigarettes and chew are harmful to our health. Tobacco also impacts our mouths; two of the most common issues are oral cancer and gum disease. Let’s take a closer look at the dangers from three popular types of tobacco.

CIGARETTES

Manufactured, hand-rolled, pipe tobacco.

Increased risk of tooth loss
Tooth decay, leading to infections when left untreated
Yellowing of teeth
Causes cancer and weakened immune system
Contain harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde and nitroglycerin, among others

CIGARS

Cigars contain more tobacco than regular cigarettes and are often wrapped with tobacco leaves instead of rolling papers. One large cigar can have as much tobacco as an entire pack of cigarettes!

4-10x more likely to die from cancer of the mouth, esophagus, and/or larynx.
Increased risk of heart disease, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis
Chronic bad breath/halitosis
Stained teeth
Increased risk of tooth loss
Due to lack of inhalation, nicotine is absorbed through tissues of the mouth causing frequent dry mouth problems.

*Chewing tobacco, also known as ‘dip’, increases the risk of gum disease and mouth cancer.*

SMOKELESS TOBACCO

Also called chewing tobacco, or dip.

Leading cause of Leukoplakia (white/gray patches inside of mouth) that cause cancer
Increased risk of tooth loss and decay
Users are likely to develop gum disease and/or cancer of the mouth, esophagus, and pancreas
Higher odds of heart disease and stroke
Gum recession and enamel damage

Are Vaping and E-Cigarettes a Healthy Alternative?

Although options like vaping and e-cigarettes have been heralded as a better option when compared to traditional methods of tobacco use, electronic cigarettes and vaping may cause just as many, if not more health concerns such as:

Unhealthy Bacterias

*Chemicals found in electronic vaping products reduce the amount of saliva produced to help wash away unhealthy bacteria.*

Exposure to the aerosol used in electronic cigarettes increase the bacteria in our mouths that cause tooth decay.

Reduced Saliva

One of the main ingredients in vape juice, propylene glycol, is known to break down into acids that can destroy tooth enamel and irritate soft tissue. This also causes dry mouth, inflamed gums, and other issues that decrease our mouth’s ability to produce saliva.

Frightening Flavors

The capsules used to produce flavoring for electronic cigarettes can lead to cavities and increase your risk of developing chronic lung conditions.

Harmful Chemicals

When the batteries of an electronic cigarette are heated, they release formaldehyde – a chemical commonly connected with the preservation of dead bodies in the embalming process.

Metal Mouth

*Frequent use of nicotine restricts blood flow to the gum line and lowers our ability to fight infection.*

When inhaled, vapors from e-cigarettes contain heavy metals such as nickel, tin, and lead.

Sticky Substances

Another ingredient often found in vape juice, vegetable glycerin, is a sweetener that causes microbes to stick to our teeth, doubling the growth of biofilm and plaque. This damages our enamel and on average decreases it by up to 27%.

Just because you aren’t directly using tobacco doesn’t mean electronic options are better for your mouth. In fact, the high levels of nicotine found in e-cigarettes restrict blood flow to our gums and reduces our ability to fight infection and heal damaged tissue.

Add “Quitting” To Your List of Resolutions

*Say “goodbye” to smoking and tobacco this year - your smile will thank you!*

Whether you’re using traditional cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or electronic options, nicotine dependance is one of the main reasons quitting cold-turkey is so difficult. Aids such as nicotine gum and prescription medications are readily available and should be discussed with your primary doctor before use.

For those more addicted to the habit itself, other oral fixations such as chewing sugar-free gum are not only helpful, but also beneficial for your mouth itself. Sugar-free gum increases your saliva, washing away harmful bacterias and reducing your odds of developing cavities and decay.

To learn more about the ways smoking negatively impacts your teeth and the ways quitting can help your smile, talk to us at your next appointment! Our care team is dedicated to giving you the tools and education you need to achieve optimum oral health and hygiene.