We all know how dangerous tobacco can be for our body as a whole, but it may take more time to understand the effects it can have on our dental health. You’ll definitely notice the effects of smoking in other places first–like with your lungs and breathing–but if you take it on as a regular habit, over the years you’ll start to see how your teeth, gums, and mouth start to change for the worse. If you want to avoid seeing a dentist more than necessary, it would probably be a wise idea for you to stop smoking altogether. Being able to smile bright with confidence means something, and you don’t have to let smoking take that away from you!
Of course, discoloration and less pleasant breath will come naturally with smoking, but there are some even more serious issues you could be up against if you let things get too bad.
Beware of oral cancer
Oral cancer is the most serious condition that can develop due to smoking and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. In most cases, if you do happen to develop an oral cancer, there’s a high probability that it will end in fatality. There’s no mistaking the fact that any kind of cancer is no good, so it’s pertinent to quit smoking before your situation becomes too much to handle on your own.
And periodontal disease
Periodontal disease ravages the gums and can cause a lot of damage past what you can see on the surface. Gum disease is marked by swelling or inflammation that later causes the bone underneath to swell and then deteriorate. Periodontal disease is already common as it is: so if you smoke, you chances of having it are that much higher. The smoke and the chemicals that you’re inhaling are dangerous and harmful, so there’s no doubt that the negative news that comes after years of smoking will be hard to swallow. There are a number of different procedures that can be performed beyond teeth cleaning to slow the spread of periodontal disease: but it’s in your best interest to just quit while you’re still ahead.
No More Tobacco!
Regardless of what you’ve been told elsewhere, the bottom line is that there’s absolutely no tobacco out there that’s safe for you to use. If you decide to use tobacco, it will hurt your teeth and overall health in some way or another. The good news is that it’s never too late to quit! Although you won’t always be able to reverse the damage that’s been done, you can commit to not causing any further harm to yourself. At the end of the day, you’ll be better for kicking the habit. No one wants to live less than their best, and you’ve still got some time to make things right.
