While most people realize that smoking is bad for your overall health, they don’t realize the serious effects that it has on oral health. Smoking can cause many oral health issues such as gum disease, tooth staining, tooth decay, and even oral cancer.
Here are some ways smoking affects your oral health:
1.Teeth Staining
One of the most noticeable effects that smoking can have on your teeth is staining from the nicotine and tar within the tobacco. All the chemicals that are in the tobacco stick to the enamel of your teeth and after just a few years of smoking the teeth can become brown.
2. Gum Disease
People who smoke are much more likely to produce bacterial plaque, which then leads to gum disease. The gums are affected because smoking creates a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream, so the infected gums do not have a chance to recover. Smoking causes people to have more dental plaque and causes gum disease to get worse much more quickly. Smokers are actually three to six times more likely to develop gum disease, which can attack roots and cause teeth to fall out. Gum disease also is the start of tooth loss.
3. Creates Plaque and Tartar
Chemicals in tobacco products affect the amount of saliva in the mouth which makes it easier for oral bacteria to stick to teeth and gums. Filmy which is a bacteria-laden plaque can develop on teeth as well as the gum line. If not it isn’t cleaned off daily, it then will harden into tartar, which requires a professional cleaning to remove.
4. Bone Damage
If gum disease is left for too long, the infection can spread into tissue and bone, which then makes it become weaker. Over time, bone damage can occur if gum disease isn’t treated and the infection is never remedied.
If you choose to continue to smoke, it is important that you regularly visit your dentist to ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy. Even if you’ve smoked for many years, quitting can improve your oral health and reduce the likelihood of gum disease and tooth loss. This is caused by early stages of gum disease or dry mouth due to decreased saliva production.
5. Bad Breath
Smoking cigarettes causes bad breath in a number of different ways. First, the smell of the cigarette smoke itself can linger on your breath. Smoking also dries out your mouth, one of the most common reasons for halitosis (bad breath). Finally, smoking is one of the leading causes of gum disease, which is another source of odor from the mouth.
Here are some ways to prevent “smoker’s breath”
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day, and floss at least once a day.
- Increase your water intake to prevent dry mouth.
- Use an antibacterial mouthwash daily.
- Chew sugarless gum or peppermint.
- Schedule regular dental cleanings to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth.
- Cut back on smoking, or stop altogether.
Your Dental Health
When it comes to your health, trust in the dentists at Dental Made Easy. Dental Made Easy has the best dental practices in New York City and we are open on Sundays as well as late evenings. All of our dental offices are opened and accepting new patients at this time. We are rated among the top dental practices in New York, NY with numerous 5 star reviews on Google, Yelp and Facebook. For a teeth cleaning or exam, we recommend calling or booking an appointment online with one of our talented dental professionals. All new patients may also take advantage of our $149 Cleaning Special that includes an exam and x-rays or our Free Dental Implant Consultation Special.
To set up your appointment give us a call at (844) 979-EASY (3279). We have offices in Rego Park, East Flatbush and Floral Park. Walk-ins welcomed, we take emergencies and we are open on late nights to accommodate patients with a busy schedule. We hope to see you soon!
