Do you know how cigarettes and oral health damage overall health? Read more to know the connection between cigarettes and oral health.
Smoking tobacco is harmful to your dental health. Not only that, it also affects your physical health and causes many diseases. Let’s explore the relationship between cigarettes and oral health. Learn how it impacts your body and avoid it to maintain dental health.
Diseases Due To Smoking
Smoking can harm your mouth in many ways. The relationship between cigarettes and oral health is harmful. Some of these problems are obvious, but many are very concerning.
- Stained teeth
- Bad breath
- Decreased sense of smell and taste
- Weakened immune system
- Gum and periodontal diseases
- Tooth decay
- Mouth sores
- Ulcers
- Gum recession
- Oral cancer
Cigarettes and Periodontal Diseases
The connection between cigarettes and oral health can lead to gum diseases. A gum disease is caused by an infection that eats the bone holding your teeth in your mouth. The infection starts when tiny things like bacteria and food bits build up on your teeth and gums.
If you don’t clean the plague, it changes into a hard substance called calculus or tartar. Tartar can damage the gums around your teeth, especially if you smoke.
Cigarettes and Oral Cancer
Smoking cigarettes and oral health connection lead to oral cancer. It is also known as mouth cancer. Oral cancer is a prevalent cancer that impacts the tongue, lips, and various mouth regions. It results from the unchecked proliferation of abnormal cells in the oral cavity. If left untreated, it can metastasize to nearby lymph nodes, the throat, and other head and neck regions. Early detection and treatment are crucial for a better prognosis.
Symptoms
The symptoms of oral cancer can vary, but some common signs to watch for include:
- Persistent sore throat
- mouth ulcers that do not heal
- Red or white patches in the mouth
- Difficulty or pain when swallowing
- Swelling or lumps in the mouth, neck, or throat
- Persistent earaches
- Unexplained weight loss
- Numbness or difficulty moving the tongue or jaw
- Changes in voice or speech
- Loose teeth or dentures that no longer fit properly
Risks
The connection between cigarettes and oral health damages your overall health as well. Here are the risks if you’re a smoker:
- You are twice as likely to get gum disease as someone who doesn’t smoke.
- You have a higher chance of getting gum disease.
- The longer you smoke, the more at risk you are for gum disease.
- The treatments might not work if you have gum disease and smoke.
- It doesn’t matter if you smoke cigarettes, use pipes, or smokeless (spit) tobacco. All of them raise your risk of getting gum disease.
How to Quit Smoking
Avoiding smoking is challenging, but it can be done with hard work. The Centers for Disease Control has lots of helpful information about quitting, such as tips, strategies, and staying smoke-free.
They also have a simple 5-step plan to help you quit and stay safe from the effect of smoking on oral health:
- Pick a date when you’ll stop smoking.
- Ask for help from your friends, family, and healthcare professionals.
- When you want to smoke, do something else to distract yourself. Going for a walk or enjoying a hobby can help.
- Talk to your doctor about using medicines that can help you quit, whether prescription or over-the-counter.
- It’s okay if you slip up and smoke again. It happens to many people. It is essential to acknowledge it, keep trying, and don’t give up. Keep moving forward.
Conclusion
The blog guides you on the relationship between cigarettes and oral health. Smoking leads to many harmful diseases and damages your health. Consult your dentist and discuss ways to quit smoking. Contact Dentalsway for more details about maintaining a healthy smile.
