How does smoking affect your oral health?

Effects of  SMOKING  on Oral health

We all probably know the effect of smoking on your lungs, heart and your general health.

Are you aware that smoking affects your oral health too apart from stains?

 It can cause gum disease, periodontal disease (tissues around tooth), bad breath, tooth loss, bone loss and in severe case oral cancer.

What does statistics say?

Cigarette smokers are 5 times more likely to develop severe periodontitis (gum disease) than non-smokers. Epidemiological data indicate that smokers have a greater incidence of tooth loss than nonsmokers.  These studies suggest that cigarette smoking increases the susceptibility to gum bacteria and to tissue destruction.

Despite this increased perceived treatment need there is a lack of patient awareness regarding the relationship between smoking and gum diseases among patients. In one study, only 7% of patients stated that smoking affected their “gums”.

How does smoking affect your oral health?

Smoking reduces blood flow to the gums which both causes and hides the signs of gum disease. Decreased blood flow and oxygen tension may create favorable environment for colonization of anaerobic bacteria. There is inflammation of gums and loss of bone around the teeth. With no support, teeth become loose and may require extraction.

When to visit a dentist?

Most of times the deterioration of your oral health goes unnoticed as you won’t have any symptoms of pain.

Here are few signs/ symptoms to check out

• Receding gums
• Swollen tender gums
• Persistent discharge/pus from your gums
• Bad breath
• Tooth becoming loose
• Increase in spaces between your teeth
• Ulcer / red / white patches

National No Smoking Day – 13th March, 2019

No Smoking Day is observed   every year on the second Wednesday of March, to encourage people over the world to quit smoking. 

The cost of a cigarette could be your smile!!! We know that stopping smoking is not easy, but the benefits to your health will far outweigh the sacrifice. In fact, studies have shown that after a prolonged period of no smoking, you can achieve the same oral health as those who have never smoked at all.

If you are thinking about quitting, then there couldn’t be a better time to stop than TODAY.