Tobacco smoking causes numerous dental health conditions, including oral cancer. Numerous well-documented studies link tobacco use to various types of cancer-causing bacteria that affect the gums, throat, tongue, lips, and mouth. Further investigations established that 90 percent of patient cases involve tobacco smokers.
Why Smoking Ruins Oral Health
An investigative survey conducted by WHO (World Health Organization) concludes that nicotine addiction claimed 4.9 million lives in 2000. Another review identifies tobacco smoking as a primary causative agent of chronic destructive periodontitis. The habit of smoking tobacco remains an underlying influence, promoting periodontal diseases, halitosis (bad breath), mucosal lesions, cancer, tooth discolouration, etc. While some systematic dental health conditions remain life threatening, certain benign cases are treatable with medical intervention.
The gums, tongue, lips, and teeth absorb the harmful nicotine stimulant from cigarettes. Tar and nicotine are the two most dangerous compounds of tobacco, threatening oral health. Long-term use of cigarettes stains the teeth permanently with lasting brown stains. When the viral load increases, bacteria invade the gums and eventually cause short or long-term periodontitis.
Cigarette smoking also impedes oxygen transport to the body’s circulatory system. Disruption of biological processes negatively affects tissue-regenerating cell production and healing. The body cannot fend off invading foreign threats effectively with a weakened host defence mechanism. As the oral environment becomes hospitable for colonizing bacteria to thrive, it’ll infect various sites. Eventually, teeth will develop cavities as plague and tartar multiply.
All the harsh chemicals and toxins from cigarettes collect on oral cavity structures. Exposure to these elements can stain the teeth, altering its natural color, depending on the extent of damages. Although the Upper Hunt Club Dental Centre in Ottawa can treat surface stains to improve teeth colour, some changes are permanent. Tooth discolouration can make a person lose confidence and interact less. Sometimes, chemicals seep into minor fissures that develop in the enamel, corrupting biological properties that promote teeth health.
Smoking cigarettes also cause mouth dryness, which promotes gum infection, in turn inflaming the sinuses, and eventually triggering post-nasal drip symptoms. Chronic sinusitis has a direct correlation with halitosis (bad breath) according to several oral health studies. Research findings reveal that tobacco use, especially smoking affects the senses (smelling and tasting). Smokers find themselves overusing sugar and salt to compensate for the loss of taste senses. Quitting smoking and making changes to oral health habits, it’s possible to reverse the symptoms.
Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of Smoking
Smokers lose more teeth than non-smokers according to several studies undertaken by researchers. Besides tooth loss, they also experience recurring gum diseases and infections throughout their lifetime. With bacteria progressively upending the entire oral cavity, smokers have reduced resistance to cultures and impaired wound healing. Persistent tobacco smoking ultimately causes oral cancer.
Short-term conditions include halitosis, periodontal disease, poor oral hygiene, impaired taste and/or smell, smoker's keratosis or palate. These types of dental health conditions are generally symptomatic and treatable. Today’s market offers plenty of dental care alternatives, including specially formulated toothpaste, toothbrushes, and bad-breath products. While home remedies afford some relief, it’s paramount smokers get an expert opinion from the Upper Hunt Club Dental Centre in South Ottawa. The practitioner can perform comprehensive exams to determine the underlying problem and recommend the correct treatment. Smoker's keratosis, for example, requires a proactive approach to treatment in preventing a recurrence of symptoms. It’s a non-cancerous white patch with red spots that develop on tissues of the mouth, such as palate because of excess friction.
Impaired Healing Oral Health Risk
Common sites of oral cancer include the lips, U-shaped cavity structures (floor of mouth), palate, cheek, lips, and tongue. An estimated 75 percent of diagnosed oral cancer patients are habitual smokers. Some consistent symptoms of oral cancer include recurring ulcers (mouth, lips) red or white patch, swelling, etc. Dentists urge smokers to quit tobacco use to restore oral health. If a patient undergoes dental surgery and experiences impaired healing or excruciating pain; it’s paramount he or she shares this information with a professional. Dry socket pain typically indicates some resistance to healing after a tooth extraction, gum surgery, and related cosmetic procedures.
Smoking tobacco leads to many harmful effects not only to oral health but the entire body. Treatment options are available; to learn about the condition of your oral health and treatment options if you are a tobacco smoker visit the Upper Hunt Club Dental Centre in South Ottawa. Contact us today to book an appointment, and try your best to quit smoking to better your overall oral health.
